Chapter 102 The Child is Gone
"Well, well, if it isn't Quinley."
Quinley looked up to see Colette walking over in a loose bohemian maxi dress. They hadn't seen each other in a while. Quinley had heard Colette had supposedly landed herself a sugar daddy—someone single, loaded, and supposedly willing to make her legitimate.
She'd gotten her hair done—trendy waves cascading over her shoulders, giving off a retro vibe.
"Coco, long time no see!" Quinley greeted her with a smile, though the two of them had never really interacted.
Colette shot Quinley a dismissive glance, swaying her hips as she walked to her own desk. Her workstation was close to Quinley's. The moment she sat down, she pulled out a compact mirror and started touching up her makeup.
Quinley took out her phone and scrolled through social media, not noticing Colette's periodic glances in her direction.
"Quinley, get me some water. I'm so thirsty." She casually ordered Quinley around.
Quinley paused slightly but didn't look up, pretending she hadn't heard. They were both just regular employees at Skyline PR. Last time Colette had come to the hospital to stir up trouble, Quinley hadn't bothered holding it against her. Now she wanted to push her luck?
"Quinley, didn't you hear me? I said get me some water." Colette was getting annoyed. She snapped her compact shut with a loud click and glared at Quinley.
Quinley slowly raised her head, shooting back coldly, "What's wrong—your legs broken? Or your hands?"
"Who do you think you're talking to? Watch your mouth."
Colette suddenly exploded. She stood up, pointing an accusatory finger at Quinley. "Who the hell do you think you are? The only reason Lauren hasn't kicked you out yet is because she pities you. You're worse than a stray dog on the street! Broke-ass loser!"
Colette's insults were vicious, laced with profanity. Quinley gave her one ice-cold look—her gaze like a blade cutting through the air. But she wasn't about to waste energy arguing with an idiot. Colette was just drunk on her tiny bit of power. Quinley had no intention of getting tangled up with her.
But she also wasn't going to let Colette's arrogance slide.
As Quinley stood up, she grabbed the water glass on the desk—full to the brim—and splashed it right in Colette's face.
Caught completely off guard, the water drenched her entire face.
"You—" Colette was shaking with rage, her finger trembling as she pointed at Quinley.
"You don't get to judge me." Quinley's voice was sharp and commanding.
Colette had been all swagger a moment ago, but now Quinley's presence had completely shut her down. She stood frozen, chest heaving, unable to move.
Just as Quinley was about to leave, Lauren walked in, so she stopped in her tracks.
"Bitch! You dare throw water at me!" Colette suddenly lunged at Quinley like a maniac, grabbing her hair and swinging.
She assumed Quinley looked weak and defenseless, but she had no idea Quinley knew some basic self-defense. Quinley simply grabbed Colette's arm and executed a swift side throw. Colette's light frame went flying, crashing hard into the corner of a desk.
"Coco!" Lauren cried out in alarm. Colette collapsed onto the floor.
"Ah, it hurts!" Colette curled up like a shrimp, clutching her abdomen as bright red blood streamed down her thighs.
Quinley was completely shocked. She never expected this to happen. "My baby... my baby..." Colette reached down and her hand came away covered in blood.
"Quinley, you bitch! You killed my baby!" Colette lay curled on the floor, wailing.
Quinley was utterly stunned. She had no idea Colette was pregnant, and besides, Colette had been the one to attack first. At most, what Quinley did could only be considered self-defense.
Lauren was already at Colette's side in her high heels, holding her shoulders and trying to comfort her. "Coco, it's okay, you'll be okay."
"Quinley, what are you standing there for? Call 911!" Lauren snapped at Quinley with furrowed brows.
Quinley immediately dialed. The ambulance arrived quickly, and Colette was lifted onto a stretcher and loaded into the vehicle.
"Quinley, you've really done it now." Lauren was both anxious and angry. Though this involved Quinley, it had happened at Skyline PR, which meant Lauren couldn't escape responsibility either.
On the way to the hospital, Lauren kept sighing heavily.
"Lauren, call him for me," Colette said as she was being wheeled into the emergency room, clutching Lauren's hand.
"Coco, don't worry, you'll be fine. I'll contact him for you." Lauren nodded.
Colette's condition wasn't good. When Quinley had thrown her, her stomach had hit the edge of the desk. The doctor said the baby couldn't be saved and that Colette would need a D&C procedure.
It was devastating news. Quinley sat on the bench outside the operating room, her mind completely blank. She hadn't provoked Colette today—it was Colette who'd pushed her buttons repeatedly, leading to this outcome.
Even with a hundred mouths, Quinley couldn't explain her way out of this. Colette had lost her baby because of her. The thought alone terrified Quinley.
She sat there, her hand unconsciously moving to her own abdomen. She was carrying a child too. If she'd let Colette have her way today, would she be the one lying in that operating room right now?
Before Quinley could process her thoughts further, that man appeared. Quinley never would have imagined that Colette's sugar daddy was Landon.
And he wasn't alone—Emily had come too.
"Doctor, how's my child?"
"Doctor, how's my precious grandson?"
Whether it was Landon or Emily, they only cared about the baby in Colette's belly. As for that poor woman herself, no one seemed concerned.
"Please keep it down. The patient is in surgery. Unfortunately, the baby couldn't be saved."
Upon hearing this news, Landon froze. Emily couldn't believe it. "What did you say? My precious grandson is gone? How could he just be gone? The doctor said her pregnancy was stable—she was almost five months along! How could this happen?"
Emily's voice was loud, shocked, unable to accept this outcome. Lauren approached them cautiously. "Mr. Jennings, Mrs. Jennings, I'm terribly sorry. Coco had an accident at the office today..."
Before Lauren could finish, Emily slapped her across the face. "An accident? You call this an accident? My grandson is gone—that's a human life! You dare tell me it was an accident? Give me back my grandson!"
She was absolutely furious, raising her hand to strike Lauren again. But her palm never made contact—Quinley intercepted it mid-air.
"Mrs. Jennings, this has nothing to do with Ms. Morgan."
"If it has nothing to do with her, then it's your fault! You bitch—you killed my husband, and now you've killed my grandson! I'll kill you!" Emily turned into a complete shrew, directing all her venom at Quinley.
"Mrs. Jennings, please don't!" Lauren tried to separate them, but Emily was clawing like a wild animal, intent on attacking Quinley.
Just then, the operating room doors opened. Colette was wheeled out. The anesthesia had just worn off, and she looked utterly depleted.
"Landon, our baby's gone... it was that bitch, she killed our baby..." She sobbed weakly, her trembling finger pointing at Quinley.
Landon frowned, his face cold, looking thoroughly irritated. When Colette tried to grab his hand, he turned away and walked to the side.
"Coco, let's get you back to your room," Lauren said tactfully. Now that Colette had latched onto Landon's money tree, she was Skyline PR's gold mine—Lauren needed to take good care of her.
Outside the operating room, only Landon, Emily, and Quinley remained. A nurse held Emily back, but she kept cursing under her breath.
Quinley understood why mother and son were reacting so intensely—she'd accidentally destroyed their biggest bargaining chip. Without that leverage, Landon's newly acquired CEO position might have to be returned.
"You did this on purpose, didn't you? Did Zachary tell you to do this?" Landon stepped forward, his eyes narrowing coldly as his hand clamped around Quinley's wrist with considerable force.
Quinley winced in pain but didn't cry out.
"Mr. Jennings, like I said, it was an accident. Colette provoked me first. I was only defending myself."
"Self-defense?" Landon laughed coldly. "You took my son's life and now you're trying to wash your hands of it? Tell me—what did Zachary promise you? I'll pay you double."
"This has nothing to do with Zachary." Quinley stated clearly, but Landon didn't believe her.
He smiled wickedly. "Then prove it to me."