Chapter 5 The Failed Plan

Hearing Quentin speculate her motives like this only brought feelings of helplessness and heartache to Lauren.

This man had always misunderstood her, or perhaps she had always been unworthy in his eyes.

Lauren suddenly didn't want to explain anything, and of course, an explanation was pointless because the man wouldn't listen to her anyway.

"Well, let's just say I was playing hard to get. Now that you've figured it out, there's no point in dragging this out. Let's just call it quits, and get divorced. You go your way, and I'll go mine." Lauren's voice was dry, her eyes devoid of light, hollow enough to be chilling.

Seeing Lauren like this, Quentin felt a bitter pang in his heart. He didn't understand what had come over him. When did he start feeling sympathy for this woman?

Quentin withdrew his hand from the table, hiding the restlessness stirring inside him.

"Do you think you can just waltz in and out of the Robinson family as you please? Even though you schemed your way into being a Robinson, it's precisely because you're a Robinson that the dowager has stopped meddling in my affairs. I've been enjoying that. So get rid of any thoughts of running away. You'll leave when I've had enough of you, not before."

Quentin's thin lips parted, the upward curve at the corners declaring his disdain and disgust for the woman before him. With the most venomous words, he prodded Lauren, as if to remind himself not to forget her scheming nature.

How could Lauren not see his disgust? She smirked bitterly to herself, realizing that leaving had become quite a dilemma.

Subconsciously, Lauren's hand brushed her abdomen, thinking of the child barely two weeks old. Suddenly, as if pricked by a needle, she jerked her hand away. No, she couldn't be so careless. If Quentin found out, the child would be in jeopardy.

Lauren looked up at Quentin, noticing for the first time that he wasn't looking at her. His gaze was fixed on something distant, lost in thought.

For the sake of the child, to protect this little life, Lauren was ready to risk everything.

"Mr. Robinson, if you're concerned about the dowager, I'll take care of it. I'll take full responsibility. And if we get divorced, you'll be free again. You can play the field, flirt with girls - surely the dowager won't have a say over you then, right?"

Quentin shifted his piercing gaze back to Lauren. He suppressed the anger boiling within him, staring at her with the intensity of a predator eyeing a rabbit caught in its grasp.

This woman's audacity was beyond measure. She had been playing it safe all these years, and yet she could so calmly bring up his personal escapades.

"I would love nothing more than to cut ties with a calculating woman like you, but—"

I've changed my mind. You've done well these past couple of years, Lauren, and you've taken good care of the Dowager..." Quentin paused here.

When it came to Hannah Robinson, Lauren had indeed devoted herself wholeheartedly, a commitment Quentin admittedly couldn't match. He was brooding and secretive, rarely sharing his thoughts with anyone, which meant that even Hannah couldn't fully grasp what was going on in his mind.

Hannah had always been frail, but Lauren's arrival at the Robinson family seemed to have improved both her spirits and her health quite a bit. In this regard, Lauren had certainly done an excellent job. But could the arrogant Quentin ever admit that Lauren was of some use? Highly unlikely.

Lauren felt a spark of joy at Quentin's words, much like receiving praise from a schoolteacher. She berated herself internally for her lack of pride. Although she had loved Quentin for many years, this love had reduced her to something pitiful, causing her to grovel in the dirt.

Lauren shook her head to dispel the pathetic satisfaction she felt in her heart.

"How can I get you to agree to a divorce?" she asked, her voice tinged with exhaustion.

Her mood darkened. If Quentin was adamant about not divorcing, it would only be a matter of time before he discovered her pregnancy. Would the child still be safe then?

Over these past two years, Quentin's cruelty seemed imprinted in her memory. Although she was abject, she was not without self-awareness. Quentin despised her, hated that she'd 'played games' to rise to her current status, leaving her completely indefensible. Moreover, her recent probe confirmed that this man was not just cold-hearted but inhumane as well.

His words "Get rid of it immediately" had pierced Lauren's heart. That was his child, a living being, dismissed so easily, with no regard for life, no care for her well-being...

Ridiculous. When had she ever been cherished in his eyes? Lauren let out a resigned chuckle, pushing the bitterness aside and mustering her strongest front. She couldn't let this man look down on her.

Quentin felt uneasy at Lauren's apparent eagerness for a definitive answer regarding divorce. For now, he chalked it up to a man's pride.

Everyone has their pride, and Quentin was no exception—a man full of himself.

How could he let this woman slip through his fingers? If a divorce were to happen, it had to be on his terms. He couldn't let her have her way no matter what.

"You still have some use to me. Keep taking good care of the Dowager, and maybe one day, if I'm in a good mood, I might just go to the Marriage Notary Office and file for that divorce certificate."

Lauren hung her head, Quentin's words were as good as saying nothing at all. She was acutely aware of her predicament. The Walker family... Sigh, she blamed her impulsiveness for clouding her judgment. Now, she felt utterly trapped, unable to see a glimmer of hope for what to do next.

Noticing Lauren had fallen silent, her face etched with sadness and pain, Quentin sensed a tender stirring in the depths of his heart. He regretted speaking so harshly earlier.

Quentin was aware of his lethal talent for angering people without any guilt and seeing Lauren's pale face, he couldn't help but say, “As long as you do as I say, don't cause me any trouble or disrupt my life, I’ll allow you to keep wearing the 'Robinson' name. Of course, I’ll continue to support your family business.”

Lauren breathed a sigh of relief. Indeed, Walker Corporation had been resuscitated with the support of the Robinson Conglomerate. It was also the corporation's crisis that led her whole family to push her into marrying into The Robinson Family.

Originally, Lauren thought she would find happiness, but that turned out to be mere wishful thinking. He, Quentin, had never truly cared for her...

Lauren perceived Quentin’s words as a veiled threat. Walker Corporation was her parents' life work, and she couldn't bear to see it fail, nor did she want to accept such a fate. She knew Quentin was the kind of man who would stop at nothing to succeed at whatever he set his mind to. Therefore, she couldn't afford to offend him.

It seemed unlikely she'd be able to divorce under the current circumstances, but fortunately, she was only just pregnant and showed no signs yet, which meant she might be able to keep it hidden for a while longer.

Lauren was determined to divorce Quentin before he discovered she was pregnant and to find a way for Walker Corporation to break free from Robinson Conglomerate's grasp.