Chapter 282 Learning the Inside Story
Lauren clocked that Grant was a total creep. Most folks would play it cool on a first meet, but not this guy. He was practically drooling over her.
She'd already tried to blend into the background, and Ethan had even dropped the engagement bomb, but Grant was still all over her.
"Ms. Walker, why so quiet? Bored 'cause it's just us dudes talking?" Grant smirked at her.
Lauren forced a smile. "Nah, it's just that booze and I don't mix well. A few sips and I'm already feeling it."
She was scrambling for any excuse to dodge more convo with Grant. The last thing she wanted was to make things even more awkward.
Plus, they hadn't even gotten what they came for. Bailing now would mean Ethan might not get his shot to talk.
Grant, with his wine glass and bottle, plopped down right next to her. "Oh, come on, Lauren. It's not that you can't handle it; you just haven't had enough. Trust me, you gotta keep drinking. Once you get used to it, you'll be fine."
Lauren was getting seriously annoyed. She took the glass from Grant, her eyes narrowing. She knew she had to get the info they needed from him and bounce.
"Mr. Parker, seriously, I can't handle much. If I drink too much, we won't get to the important stuff," she said, trying to keep it cool.
Ethan watched, fuming inside as Lauren and Grant chatted like he wasn't even there. But he needed something from this sleazeball, so he had to keep his cool.
Grant seemed really into Lauren. He leaned in. "What important stuff? Spill it, then we can drink."
Lauren shot Ethan a quick look, trying to reassure him. "Mr. Parker, you know Mr. Jones kicked our company off the list. It was a misunderstanding, but he didn't give us a chance to explain. We need your help to figure out this plagiarism mess. Even if we lose, we need a reason!"
Grant's playful grin vanished, replaced by a serious look.
"I can't talk about that. It's not a company secret, but spreading it would hurt our rep, and yours too," Grant said, moving back to his seat.
Lauren was even more confused. What was up with this plagiarism thing that no one would talk about it?
"Mr. Parker, Joseph always said you're a fair guy. I don't wanna make things hard for you or mess up your rep, but could you share some information with me discreetly, as a favor to my teacher? I promise to keep it confidential!" Lauren pleaded.
Grant looked troubled by her words.
Seeing his reaction, Lauren grabbed the wine bottle, filled her glass, and said, "Mr. Parker, please help us! I promise I won't break my word!" Then she downed the glass before Grant could say anything.
Ethan watched, feeling a mix of pain and gratitude, thinking she was doing all this for him.
Grant's icy demeanor thawed a bit. He admired Lauren's guts, but it wasn't enough to make him spill the beans just yet.
Lauren, feeling the buzz, looked at Grant. Seeing he still wasn't talking, she decided to push her luck. She filled her glass again and knocked back three more in quick succession.
Ethan couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed her glass, saying, "Lauren, stop! I'll drink for you!"
Lauren, cheeks flushed, grinned, "I'm good. But this wine's kinda weak. Got anything stronger?"
Ethan stood up. "Forget it, Mr. Parker's not gonna tell us anything. Let's bounce."
Lauren shook off Ethan's hand, not ready to give up. Just then, Grant spoke, "Ms. Walker, you're something else. I truly appreciate it. For your guts, I'll tell you. But after that, we keep drinking!"
Lauren and Ethan were thrilled, though Ethan felt a bit humiliated. His girl was drinking with this sleaze. If word got out, it'd be a mess.
But at least Grant was talking. Otherwise, all of Lauren's effort would've been for nothing.
Grant asked, "Do you know which company your design supposedly copied?"
Ethan shook his head. He only knew about the plagiarism claim, not the details.
"Robinson Conglomerate," Grant said quietly.
Ethan's anger flared, and he slammed his fist on the table, making the dishes clatter.
"Damn it!" he cursed.
Lauren, on the other hand, stayed calm, like she had a hunch. She wasn't too shocked by the answer.
Grant, enjoying the drama, said, "Looks like you guys have beef with Robinson Conglomerate. Makes sense, same city, big companies, bound to clash."
Lauren rubbed her temples, steadying herself on the table. She looked at Grant. "Mr. Parker, plagiarism involves two sides. How can you be sure it was us and not Robinson Conglomerate?"
Grant shook his head. "I don't know the details. Dylan made the call. He's the main guy on this project, so his word is law."
Lauren's face hardened. She thought for a moment and asked, "What exactly was plagiarized?"
Grant, being blunt, pulled out his phone, found the plagiarism docs, and handed them to Lauren.
Lauren studied them, feeling unsure. She hadn't designed the piece, so she wasn't familiar with it. But she made a mental note to go over it with Richard and the team later.
"Alright, Lauren, that's all I got. Now, can we keep drinking?" Grant grinned, clearly up to something.
Ethan said, "I'll drink with you!"
Grant sneered, "Ms. Walker agreed to drink with me. You backing out already?"
Lauren quickly held back Ethan, who was ready to throw down. She shook her head at him and turned to Grant. "Mr. Parker, I appreciate straightforward people like you. Tonight, we drink till we drop!"
