Chapter 6 Falling Ill
Lauren nodded her thanks, avoiding Quentin’s gaze with a distant look in her eyes.
"I'll leave you be, then. Goodbye. And remember to visit the Dowager. I'll try not to show up before you in the future," Lauren murmured before turning to leave Quentin's expansive office.
Quentin watched her leave expressionlessly, then sat in silence at his desk, struck by how strange he had acted today. He had to admit, he was becoming increasingly intrigued by this Lauren.
Lauren stepped out of the corporate building, her petite frame swallowed by the bustling streets. She wandered aimlessly, her loneliness as profound as someone lost in deep woods despite the hurried passersby.
Why was she so sad? Besides The Robinson Family, she had nowhere else to go...
She didn't even have a friend to confide in. In the two years since marrying Quentin, she had even let go of her own life...
A sudden realization hit Lauren; she couldn't continue this way. She still had a child to support. How could she be so disheartened? This wasn't her style at all.
With a resolute decision made in her heart, Lauren walked with determined strides into the bookstore section of the shopping mall. She chose several books on corporate management, paid for them, and returned to The Robinson Family with two heavy bags in her hands.
Since her marriage, Lauren had hardly left the so-called honeymoon villa she shared with Quentin. The villa was large and luxurious, with furnishing and decor personally designed by renowned designers, even the unassuming floor was worth a fortune.
The Robinson Family, seen by others as a noble and unattainable household, was now hers, making Lauren the envy of many. But only she knew the sorrow in her heart.
Pushing open the heavy doors of the villa, the butler ran up to her and said, "Madam, allow the staff to take care of such tasks."
The butler had been with the villa for years, a faithful servant to Quentin. Since Lauren's arrival, Quentin's visits could be counted on one hand, and his licentious antics outside were no secret to him. But as a servant, even though he pitied this poor girl, there was little he could do to help.
Thus, the butler did his best to look after Lauren in her everyday life. He had never met such an easygoing girl who was neither picky, proud, nor indulgent. Knowing her temperament only made him more sympathetic.
Lauren shook her head gently, "It's alright, Uncle Robinson, I can handle little things like this."
She smiled softly, a polite and gentle smile, reminiscent of the girl next door.
The butler reached for the bags in Lauren's hands, but she gently refused his help.
"Uncle Robinson, I can get my things on my own, and I won't be having dinner either."
The butler was surprised, yet he nodded his head. As a servant, what more could he say?
The villa was truly vast, and every time Lauren returned to her room, it felt like she was stepping into a luxurious presidential suite. When she first married into the villa, Lauren dreamily thought she had become a princess from a fairytale. Yet, two years of reality taught her that she was nothing more than a concubine who had fallen out of favor as soon as she entered the house.
In the villa, some idle servants clustered in the kitchen, gossiping. Lauren didn't need to guess to know she was the subject of their talk. These two years, their persistence was remarkable; every day they rehashed the tales about Quentin and her, how she had ambitions to marry into The Robinson Family, and despite acquiring the status of Mrs. Lauren Robinson, she failed to capture Quentin's heart...
At first, Lauren was angry, then helpless, and eventually, she became numb. All of this was her own doing, wasn't it?
A bitter taste filled her mouth, her stomach churning in turmoil, leaving her with no appetite at all.
Back in her room, Lauren collapsed onto the bed.
"Oh—so tired. But baby, ever since you've come into my life, suddenly there's hope to keep living. Baby, you must be the angel sent from heaven to save me, right?"
Lauren caressed her belly, tears welling up in her eyes as she remembered those resolute words.
‘Get rid of it.’
‘You don't deserve to carry my child!’
Lauren clenched her fists tightly, realizing her grave mistake. She shouldn't have married into The Robinson Family on her own whims, and shouldn't have meddled with that man. She had to find a way to escape from here!
Lauren picked up a weighty textbook and began studying earnestly. She had previously studied business administration, but after two years, she had nearly forgotten everything. She was determined to reclaim her former self and ensure that after leaving The Robinson Family, she could find employment, supporting both herself and her child.
Even in her sleep, Lauren found no peace. She dreamt Quentin learned of her pregnancy and watched him lunge a knife toward her belly. Staring at her bloodied abdomen, tears refused to come as she struggled awake from the nightmare.
Touching the cold sweat on her forehead, Lauren trembled as she reached for her stomach. Thankfully, it was all just a dream...
Lauren clambered back into bed, shivering despite the stifling heat of July. Only after wrapping herself in a blanket, did she gradually fall back to sleep.
Lauren woke up drenched in sweat the next day, her head feeling foggy, and as she suspected after taking her temperature, she had a fever.
Startled by the realization, Lauren knew she couldn't just power through the illness or take any medicine willy-nilly, especially now that she was pregnant. She hurriedly got herself ready to go to the hospital to see a doctor with the right expertise.
As she was getting ready, her stomach growled loudly – a stark reminder that she was hungry. But preparing food was a luxury she couldn’t afford; she had more urgent matters to attend to.
Though the Robinson Family employed servants, Quentin's absence from the house meant that no one prepared meals specifically for Lauren. She was accustomed to fending for herself, cooking her own meals, and only occasionally when Hannah visited, did she get to enjoy the soup made in the Robinson Family's villa kitchen.
Thus, Lauren lived in a grand villa with a lifestyle even the servant might scoff at. She harbored no complaints, holding on to the fantasy that one day Quentin would return, their marriage would normalize, and all her patience would be justified.
Yet, her hope was wearing thin, from the man who had never given her a glimmer of hope.
Lauren stepped out of the villa and hailed a taxi to head toward the hospital. Unbeknownst to her, as soon as she left, a black Ferrari pulled up, heading toward the Robinson Family villa.
