Qin Jia was clearly trying to provoke her, but she wasn't about to fall for such an obvious trap.
"She's just trying to get under your skin on purpose. Don't believe a word she says; that woman doesn't mean well." Having voiced her opinion, Claire Xu glanced back at Qin Jia.
Qin Jia was staring at them too. In truth, she wanted to anger Lauren Shaw, but clearly, she hadn't succeeded.
"Don’t worry, she poses no threat to me." Lauren Shaw knew Qin Jia was only trying to rile her up, to make her lose her composure in front of everyone. But Qin Jia underestimated the bond between her and Yancy Shaw.
If their feelings could be shaken so easily by someone else, what did that say about their trust?
She and Yancy Shaw had come this far by relying on mutual trust.
Qin Jia walked off to a quieter corner, phone in hand, and dialed Mo Qinglin.
"I’ve said everything you wanted me to say. It’s up to you now."
Mo Qinglin grunted in response and hung up. Qin Jia stood there for a long time.
She really did like Yancy Shaw—from the very first moment she saw him. How could she possibly let go so easily?
At first, she had planned to bury her feelings deep inside. But Mo Qinglin’s appearance made something selfish stir in her.
She knew it was a little immoral, but so what? If it brought her closer to the man she wanted, a little underhandedness was a small price to pay.
Lauren Shaw hadn’t walked far when suddenly the hem of her dress caught on something, tearing open with a sharp rip. The fabric dangled raggedly as she pressed her hand to her forehead, exasperated by how troublesome tonight was turning out to be.
Left with no other option, she looked for a place to sit so she wouldn't draw too much attention to herself.
"What a huge tear!" Claire Xu couldn’t help but take a few extra glances.
Lauren Shaw was wearing an elegant gold evening gown tonight. With her fair skin, the dress had given her an air of luxury and poise. Now, with the hem ripped, she didn’t look disheveled—instead, there was an unexpected hint of beauty in the imperfection. Through the torn fabric, a glimpse of her long, slender legs proved utterly captivating.
Lauren Shaw sat down and massaged her temples, annoyed.
She checked the time. There was still a while before the banquet would end. Leaving now would only give people more to talk about.
She asked Claire Xu to fetch her another dress.
"Don’t worry, I’ve got it. Why not rest in one of the rooms upstairs? I’ll be back in no time."
Lauren Shaw considered it and then went to find a staff member to get a key card.
With the card in hand and holding up the skirt, she strode to the elevator with calm composure.
Claire Xu left the banquet hall, ready to drive to her studio for a dress. The moment she stepped outside, she ran right into Henry Mills.
Her face fell immediately.
"Claire Xu." Henry Mills greeted her with a bright smile.
"What do you want?" Claire Xu shot back coldly. She was still angry.
"Just hear me out. It’s not what you think. You're the only one I love. I've never betrayed you."
"Don’t block my way." Claire Xu glared at him, unwilling to listen.
Henry Mills refused to move, tugging her by the hand to a quieter spot. She tried to shake him off, but he wouldn’t let go.
"Please, just give me a chance to explain. I really didn’t want you to get the wrong idea. That blind date was my mistake—I should’ve told you—but I never even met her. Claire Xu, can you trust me?"
He looked genuinely desperate. Claire Xu had changed all her passwords and blocked his number; he was at his wit’s end.
It all started a few days ago when a woman claiming to be Henry Mills's fiancée showed up and slandered Claire Xu out of nowhere. She was furious, thinking Henry Mills had lied, and dumped him on the spot.
Henry Mills hadn’t known a thing about any of this. The so-called fiancée was just the granddaughter of his grandfather’s old friend. He'd refused to meet her, so she targeted Claire Xu instead. Henry Mills was as much a victim as anyone.
"Then give me a proper explanation," Claire Xu said with forced composure.
Henry Mills explained the whole story. The woman was just a relative his family wanted to set him up with, but he'd refused. Who would have guessed she’d confront Claire Xu so aggressively?
...
Upstairs, Lauren Shaw reached her assigned room and, just as she opened the door, someone called her name from behind.
She turned to see Mo Qinglin approaching in his wheelchair. His presence startled her.
"Miss Li, what a coincidence. I’m staying on this floor as well."
The Peninsula Hotel was a five-star place in Ancheng, and it wasn’t strange for Mo Qinglin to be here, but Lauren Shaw didn’t want to talk to him. She began to close the door, but Mo Qinglin continued, "I actually have something I’d like to discuss with you. If you’re free..."
"I’m not free." Lauren Shaw's reply was icy. "Mr. Mo, whatever it is, can we talk some other time? Now isn’t convenient for me."
With her current appearance, she didn’t dare let anyone gossip if word got out.
Mo Qinglin was trouble, and it was best to keep some distance.
Lauren Shaw quickly tried to close the door, but it wouldn’t budge: Mo Qinglin's wheelchair was in the way. The gesture made her uneasy.
"What are you doing?" she asked warily, glancing nervously down the empty corridor. Only the two of them were there.
Mo Qinglin gave a twisted smile. "What could I possibly do to you like this? Let’s be honest—I’m just a cripple. There’s no need for you to be so guarded."
His lip curled in self-mockery. Even if he wanted to do something, he didn’t have the strength.
Lauren Shaw’s gaze dropped to the blanket covering his legs, and her heart grew heavy.
"If you have something to say, just say it here. To avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings, you’d better not come in."
Mo Qinglin chuckled softly. "Alright. As you wish."
—
Downstairs, Yancy Shaw’s car stopped at the entrance. He stepped out and called Lauren Shaw, but her phone was off.
He walked into the hotel lobby, where Claire Xu and Henry Mills had just appeared. Judging by their expressions, the two had patched things up.
Seeing Yancy Shaw, Claire Xu remembered her original task.
"Oh no! I was supposed to bring Shengsheng a dress—hers got torn."
"She tore her dress?"
"Yes, she's not in the banquet hall right now. I asked her to wait upstairs. Dr. Shen, why don’t you go up first? I’ll get her a dress."
Without looking back, Claire Xu dashed off toward the parking lot, with Henry Mills hurrying after.
Yancy Shaw headed upstairs immediately.
Lauren Shaw stood by the door, holding the ruined dress in one hand. Her face was calm and composed—not a hint of distress.
"If you have something to say, get to the point." Her voice was frigid.
Mo Qinglin had to tilt his head up to look at her. His eyes held a bittersweet longing. "Honestly, you remind me of someone I used to know. The moment I saw you, you seemed so familiar—I just wanted to be close to you."
Lauren Shaw frowned, dubious about his words. "Someone you used to know?"
"Yes," Mo Qinglin replied quietly, "but she died in a tragic accident."