In the office, the manager was still accompanying Andrew when someone knocked on the door and walked in without instruction. The manager bristled – who could be stupid enough to interrupt him when he was with his most important client? He was about to open his mouth and say something when the staff member hurriedly started talking.
“Sir,” he looked over at Andrew. “Your sister is ill; she is vomiting in the bathroom!”
Hearing this, Andrew immediately tensed and stood up.
“Take me there!”
The manager and the staff hurriedly took him to the ladies' dressing room not caring if anyone was inside or not.
In the bathroom, Laraine was retching but nothing was coming out now. Her stomach was empty of all she had eaten this morning which was not much. She flushed the toilet bowl and tiredly opened the stall hoping there was no one outside. Her hopes were quashed when she saw Andrew, the manager, and Aiken standing outside looking worried.
Laraine was paler than a sheet of paper and lathered in sweat. Feeling dizzy from being bent over for so long, Laraine stumbled when Andrew immediately lurched forward to catch her. She leaned into Andrew’s protective body who rubbed her back and slowly led her over to the bench to sit.
Andrew bent down at her level and stared into her eyes, “What happened just now? What the f**k was in that water!?” He looked over at the manager accusingly.
The manager immediately shrunk back. “Sir… no…nothing. It was just water…” He stuttered.
Laraine immediately decided to speak up as she did not want another repeat of someone being fired because of her.
“Andrew, it’s not their fault. I don’t think I had a proper breakfast this morning and I have been feeling queasy ever since!”
Laraine’s eyes were red and teary eyed and she decided to add a pout for good measure, her acting skills coming in handy.
“You’re going to the hospital then!” Andrew looked at his assistant next to him.
Aiken quickly supported Laraine and said, “Miss Jones, let’s go!”
However, Laraine shook her head and said, “No. Andrew, I’m ok. I just need some sleep. There’s no need to go to the hospital.”
Hearing this, Andrew glanced at her and said nothing. That meant he agreed though he did not look happy.
When they returned home, the cook had already prepared a light porridge for Laraine, not too heavy as to upset her stomach again. She ushered Laraine to the table who obediently sat down and ate. Usually she would never eat something this bland, but she really did not feel like eating anything heavy.
She glanced up in confusion when Andrew too came over and sat down in front of her. Though he did not eat anything, he was looking over at Laraine with his hawk like eyes. Laraine felt flustered and tried hard to ignore his piercing eyes focusing on eating her porridge instead.
Just at that time, Aiken came over with an iPad in his hands and handed it to Andrew respectfully. Whatever it was that he was showing Andrew, he did not like it. His body tensed and he suddenly frowned. Laraine tried to look over at what he was reading but he was too far. It seemed that Andrew was angry after seeing the iPad, which made her nervous and hard to enjoy the porridge.
Andrew looked up and gave the iPad to Laraine rigidly with an accusing glare. What had she done now?
In front of her was a large bold headline of entertainment news which read, “Car sexcapades of the rich and famous.”
A photo followed the headline; it was not so clear, but still easy to recognize the people in the photo. Obviously, the one laid on the back seat was Laraine and beside her was Cathy.
The photo was so equivocal, bold, and unconstrained. From this photo, it seemed that they were very close and intimate. It could only be said that the angle of taking this photograph was so appropriate that she herself would have believed it if she was not the one being photographed.
Although she was drunk yesterday, she still remembered what happened between her and Cathy.
The fact was that nothing had happened! At least she did not do anything!
“Who is she?”
Andrew’s face was still and smoldering underneath his stony expression. His rage was obvious, she could tell from his clenched hands and tense shoulders.
Seeing his expression, a cold shiver ran down her spine.
At this moment, Aiken also lowered his head. He knew clearly that Andrew would not be indulgent towards such deeds that had a bad influence on Jones’s reputation. Last time, when Patrick was caught by the paparazzi doing something similar, his boss was so angry that he destroyed Patrick’s beloved car. Since then, Patrick had behaved himself and never participated in such activities anymore in public.
This time, what would Andrew do to Laurence? Since she did not have any car, would Andrew directly beat her? Knowing his boss well, that may very well be in the books!
“She…she is not anyone, I swear!” Laraine explained in a hurry.
Hearing this, Andrew raised his eyebrow and answered, “Oh?”
Suddenly, Laraine found her explanation was open to different interpretations. In addition to their imagination, they must be thinking she was a slut. If Cathy was not anyone, then did she go around kissing random people?
Laraine took a deep breath hoping this explanation would work on him. “Andrew…I will be honest. I had a little too much to drink at the party and lost control. But I swear this photo implies something more than what happened. She is the one who kissed me and that is all what happened.”
“I am sorry that I ashamed my family,” Laraine continued with her head lowered in mock embarrassment (though he did not need to know that). “You must have done something similar when you were young and lost control, too?”
Aiken’s eyes widened and he tried to look at Laraine shaking his head no! Why did she have to add the last line! This was going to be the death of her! Blaming Andrew!? No one did that, ever!
Andrew did not say a word but only raised his eyebrows with a sneer.
“That’s true. I indeed have done things before I regret but not once have I lost control like an animal!”
Hearing his words, Laraine bristled. She could very well remember the instance where he had lost control, him pounding into her like an animal, making grunting noises as his p***s twitched inside her v****a. She wanted to point that out but refrained herself as that would ruin everything.
“I’m sorry Andrew. I should not have drunk so much! It’s my fault!” Laraine lowered her head.
“I’ll order someone to remove the news. You stay at home today and examine your own f*****g mistake! I don’t want a repeat of this happening ever again! If it does, I will not be so lenient next time,” Andrew growled and got up from the table storming out the room.
Aiken hurried to follow his boss. He was shocked at Andrew’s words, because in his opinion, this was not a punishment at all! His lack of response on something as large as this confusing for him as he had never seen him act this way before.
It seemed that Andrew was gradually changing his attitude towards Laurence.
But why? What was it about the adopted child of the Jones’ family that Andrew was going soft?