Chapter 53 Ripples Resurface
Two hours earlier, Quentin, Peyton, and Wendy had come to the hotel for dinner, but it seemed they didn't intend to let him leave easily. As the minutes ticked by, Quentin finally couldn't contain his restlessness and spilled the beans at eight o'clock.
Upon hearing that it was Hannah's milestone birthday tonight, Wendy naturally didn't want to miss out. She was also curious about what kind of person Lauren would be. She intended to stand by Quentin's side openly, to warn the other woman to back off from him.
So, it came to be that Quentin returned to the family home with Wendy and Perry in tow to celebrate Hannah's birthday.
Quentin didn't give a second thought to whether what he was doing was inappropriate; he was simply eager to return to the home to celebrate Hannah's birthday and see Lauren.
Sitting next to an icy Lauren and witnessing Wendy's enthusiastic chatter with Hannah on his other side, Quentin felt an unexpected surge of irritation.
The urgent eagerness he had felt to see Lauren now felt wasted, which both annoyed and made him regret how immature he seemed to have become.
Hannah watched Quentin and Lauren at the dinner table, with not a word passing between them, and she couldn't help feeling anxious. But even as she fretted, she knew she couldn't change anything if the concerned parties were unwilling to make the first move.
Lauren's mind was clouded with the recent news about Quentin and Wendy. They looked like a perfect match, a true case of handsome meets beautiful. Wendy, the embodiment of pure charm, oozed celebrity quality up close. Lauren thought bitterly to herself.
If Quentin was in such a rush to let the whole world know about his romance with Wendy, then she was ready to gracefully step aside.
Her heart ached profoundly.
Despite the searing pain in her heart, Lauren managed a smile of relief on her face.
She should never have harbored any illusions about Quentin. With misunderstandings as immense as mountains and as deep as oceans between them, how could she ever hope to win his heart?
Lauren deliberately avoided looking at Quentin and Wendy, instead continually serving soup to the Dowager. Hannah observed Lauren's struggle to face Quentin, and her heart ached for her.
Hannah had planned to speak with Quentin about Lauren after the Birthday Banquet. However, due to Wendy and Peyton needing a ride, Quentin had to rush to drop them off at the hotel, leaving no time for Hannah's advice.
Ultimately, Lauren returned to her room alone to rest, and Quentin did not come back before she fell asleep.
After dropping off Wendy and Peyton at the hotel and ignoring Wendy's flirtatious glances, Quentin drove away without a second glance.
He hesitated, uncertain whether to head back to the home or his own villa.
Just then, Quentin's phone rang. Checking the caller ID, he saw it was Hannah and pressed the answer button.
Hannah's voice was cool as she spoke, "Have you finished your business?"
"Yeah, just dropped them all off," Quentin replied.
"Alright, Quentin, I'm telling you, no matter how important your plans are tomorrow, clear your schedule. Then come back to the home and clear things up with Lauren about tonight," Hannah commanded with authority.
Lauren was already resting, and Hannah didn't want to disturb her, nor did she want tonight's events to become more complicated. She wanted everyone to cool off before explaining the misunderstanding calmly tomorrow.
"What is there to explain? Dowager, are you blaming me for bringing an outsider to your Birthday Banquet?" Quentin was slow on the uptake, still not understanding why Hannah was so angry.
Hannah knew her grandson was generally clever, but when it came to matters of the heart, he acted like a complete fool.
"Are you truly clueless, or are you just pretending? I’m not blaming you—that’s not the point. It's about how Lauren feels..."
"Enough, Dowager. You don't need to worry about our affairs. I have work to attend to, I'm hanging up now. You should rest early."
Quentin quickly ended the call; he really didn't want to discuss Lauren's situation with Hannah at that moment. Feeling stifled, he went to a bar to drink alone.
Quentin was awoken from his hangover by the ring of his phone; it was already seven in the morning. He picked up the call, and it was from Cecilia.
"Hello?" Quentin sat up in bed, holding the phone with one hand and massaging the bridge of his nose with the other, his eyes uncomfortable.
"Quentin, photos of you and Wendy at the hotel have surfaced online again. The situation has escalated, you need to get back to the office ASAP," Cecilia said urgently, quickly explaining the situation, and waiting for Quentin's response.
Quentin wasn't fully awake and didn't seem very concerned about the news.
"I understand. Like before, have someone take down those stories."
"Quentin, this news has spread across the entire City A, and this time, the media outlets covering it are very reputable. It's going to be tricky to handle," Cecilia said with furrowed brows, he had run out of options and had to contact Quentin.
"Oh, that difficult to settle? Interesting." Quentin narrowed his eyes, revealing a dangerous glint. It seemed like someone had intentionally set him up, and that person was likely Wendy.
Quentin hastily changed clothes and rushed to the Robinson Conglomerate, completely forgetting about Hannah's request for him to return home last night.
In the morning, Lauren came downstairs, listless. She had to pretend like nothing was wrong.
Hannah breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Lauren was at ease.
"Good morning, Dowager! Sorry, I'm late getting up."
Actually, Lauren had barely slept last night, weighed down with the heavy thought that these might be her last few days as Lauren.
Hannah responded with a smile, "Don't worry about sleeping in. Young people love to linger in bed, and you're pregnant—you need the extra rest."
Hannah's kind words made Lauren all the more reluctant to leave her. If she ceased being a Robinson, the chance to see Hannah again would diminish. The thought deepened her sorrow.
Meanwhile, the TV in the living room was broadcasting the latest news.
"Robinson Conglomerate CEO Quentin spotted cohabiting with Wendy; the couple's sweet date caught on camera."
Lauren stared at the image of Quentin and Wendy entering a hotel together and felt so much heartache she could barely breathe.
Hannah saw the news too and hurriedly said, "Lauren, don't listen to their nonsense. Quentin was just helping them to rest last night. It's not what it looks—"
"Yeah, Dowager, I know. It's okay, I understand," Lauren interrupted, not wanting to hear any defenses of Quentin.
Hannah was frantic but didn't want to press the issue further, fearing it would upset Lauren even more. She felt at a loss.
"Dowager, my dad and mom came by yesterday, and I suddenly realized I hadn't been back to my parent’s place in a long time. So, Dowager, would it be alright if I visit my family home today?" Lauren asked with a smile.
Despite knowing the news was likely, not true, yesterday Quentin had indeed brought someone home. Since Quentin had acknowledged Wendy, Lauren's days of being cast out seemed imminent.
She desperately wanted to hide away, to find a place where the Robinson Family had no reach.
