Chapter 479 - 475: Big Baby, I Support You
Taking the photo with him, Quentin Grant drove to Nora’s film set.
"Where’s Nora?"
"Young Master Grant, you’re here. Nora just finished removing her makeup and has probably gone back to her hotel. Her room number is 9066," the director said hurriedly.
"Mm." Quentin Grant then drove toward the hotel.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
Nora Ainsworth opened the door and found Ryan standing there. Her expression immediately turned cold. "What is it?"
"Nora Ainsworth, did you leak this story?" he asked, shoving the newspaper in his hand toward her.
Nora Ainsworth took it, glanced at it, and sneered. "Are you a fucking idiot? That thing with you and the director happened ages ago. You really think I’d wait this long to leak the truth to the media?"
He walked inside and sat down on Nora Ainsworth’s sofa. "But someone told me you did it. Nora Ainsworth, why are you such a meddling gossip?"
"Heh, is your brain filled with shit? I won’t accept such a laughable accusation. If you’re so insistent I did it, then bring out the person who told you. I’d love to confront them myself."
"I’m not going to tell you. They’re just afraid you’ll retaliate if they step forward. You’re too despicable! No wonder the ancients said that women and petty men are difficult to handle, and that a woman’s heart is the most poisonous. It’s true. I know you’re just getting back at me for what I did to you before, but I’m not afraid anymore!" Ryan said, his tone overbearing.
Nora Ainsworth had no desire to speak with him any further. "If you’ve got more crap to spew, take it outside. I can’t be bothered with you. I won’t see you out."
"You..." He suddenly laughed. "Nora Ainsworth, my fans are tearing me apart right now, and it’s all your fault. You’re a backstabber. Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you have the Grant Family behind you!"
"Moron. I really don’t want to deal with you. Get out!"
Ryan stood up and huffed coldly. "Don’t think I don’t know it was you just because you deny it. Nora Ainsworth, if my reputation is ruined, I’ll drag you down with me. You just wait!"
"I’ll be waiting."
He opened the door to leave and came face-to-face with Quentin Grant, who was just about to knock.
Ryan gave an awkward smile, then stepped past him and walked out.
Quentin Grant closed the door. "What was that bastard doing here?"
Nora Ainsworth handed him the newspaper. "Here, take a look. He’s insisting I was the one who did it."
Quentin Grant scanned it quickly. "He really is a bastard."
"He even said he’s going to drag me down with him. Darling, am I going to get flamed to death? Do you think it’s right for me to take the fall for this?"
"Of course not. Since he’s looking for trouble, we might as well just turn the tables on him. We’ll strike first. Leave it to your darling here to handle it. Don’t worry."
Nora Ainsworth nodded and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Mwah. I love you."
Quentin Grant’s heart felt like it was blooming.
"Oh, right. Our mom’s photo." Quentin Grant took the picture from his pocket and handed it to Nora Ainsworth.
She took it and examined it closely. "This isn’t Claire Sinclair."
"I looked at it carefully. Even though they’re twins, you can tell them apart if you look closely."
Nora Ainsworth pulled Quentin Grant to sit on the edge of the bed and said calmly, "We need to handle this methodically. I have to get Mom out. Should we tell Dad about this?"
Quentin Grant pondered for a moment. "He needs to be informed. Let’s head home now. Call Dad as soon as you get in the car."
Nora Ainsworth nodded, quickly packed a few things, and got into the car with Quentin Grant.
Quentin Grant drove while Nora Ainsworth took out her phone to call Valeria.
After hanging up, Nora Ainsworth leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. Just when Quentin Grant thought she had fallen asleep, she spoke. "Starting tomorrow, I need to rush to finish filming my parts. That way, I can use a vacation as an excuse to go do this."
Quentin Grant asked, "If you rush, how many days will it take to finish filming your scenes for this show?"
"At the absolute fastest, still more than twenty days. Besides, I still need to have Walsh create a prosthetic disguise for my face."
"Nora, can’t we find someone else to go? You don’t have to do it yourself..."
"She’s my own mother. If I don’t go save her myself, who else can I count on? If I didn’t know about this, it would be one thing, but now that I do, I have to go myself. The moment my mom jumped from that building at your wedding... the impact it had on me was greater than you can possibly imagine. Even though I was mentally prepared for her to leave me soon, I still felt like I had lost my mother forever. But now, not only do I have a father, I know my mom is alive. I can lose everything else, but I can’t forsake my duty as a daughter. If we rescue Mom, Quentin, our family can finally be whole."
Quentin Grant turned to look at her, and in that moment, he suddenly understood a daughter’s desire to personally rescue her own mother.
"Sweetheart, I support you. The kids and I will be right behind you, giving you strength."
She smiled and nodded.
Ever since the day they’d agreed to "just give it a try," Holly Wood and Leon Lynch had been going on dates in secret, like a pair of thieves.
For example, at the end of the workday, Leon Lynch would first check the security cameras to find her, then send her a text.
He’d tell her to wait for him in his car, and after leaving the office building, he would join her.
This afternoon was no exception.
When Leon Lynch got in the car, he glanced back and saw her sitting in the rear seat. A smile graced his lips. "I’m taking you back to my house."
Holly Wood panicked a little at his words. "I should go home and change first."
"No need. I’ll buy you an outfit." He drove to a clothing boutique, personally selected an outfit for her, and then took her to a salon to get her hair and makeup done. Afterward, she looked like a completely different person.
Standing before the mirror, she could hardly believe the reflection was her own.
Leon Lynch was genuinely surprised.
"You look beautiful."
Holly Wood shifted self-consciously. She wasn’t used to this.
The two got back in the car, which soon pulled up to the Lynch Residence.
Holly Wood was hesitant to get out of the car. She had read things online about Mrs. Lynch and had a general idea of what kind of person she was, which made her feel rather intimidated.
"Don’t be afraid. My mom might have a temper, but she won’t eat you. Besides, I’m here."
Holly Wood summoned her courage. "Okay, let’s go."
The butler was quite surprised to see the young master bring a young woman home. He immediately stepped forward. "Young Master, this is..."
"Do I need to explain myself to you?"
The butler chuckled. "I was just concerned, Young Master. Miss Sutton is in the living room. The Madam wasn’t going to let her in, but she’s been coming every day. Her sincerity must have moved the Madam, so she was allowed inside. That’s all."
Leon Lynch looked at him and smacked him on the back of the head. "If you hadn’t announced her, how would my mother have known? Get lost. I’m docking ten days from your salary this month."
"Young Master, you can’t! I make so little as it is. If you dock my pay, how am I supposed to survive?"
"You won’t die. You need to learn your lesson. Next time, it’ll be twenty days."
The butler stood there, on the verge of tears. ’Why did I have to bring that up!’
Standing at the entrance to the living room, Leon Lynch turned to the very nervous Holly Wood. He lowered his gaze and gently took her hand. "Don’t be nervous. I’m here."
Holly Wood let out a breath, smiled at him, and nodded firmly.
She followed him inside. Mrs. Lynch and Maeve Sutton, who had been chatting and laughing, fell silent the moment they saw them enter, their expressions shifting simultaneously.
Maeve Sutton’s eyes were glued to Leon Lynch and Holly Wood’s clasped hands, her stare as sharp as a nail.
Mrs. Lynch stood up. "Leon, what is the meaning of this?"
"Mom, this is Holly Wood. She’s my girlfriend and your future daughter-in-law. We’re in a serious relationship, so I brought her home for you to meet," he introduced her openly.
"Ma’am," Holly Wood said softly. She could see Mrs. Lynch’s expression was not a pleasant one, and her heart pounded with anxiety.
Mrs. Lynch seemed lost in thought, her face completely blank.
Leon Lynch frowned and nudged, "Mom... Are you speechless with joy?"
Mrs. Lynch forced a stiff, awkward smile. "Fine. Have a seat."
Then she looked to a maid. "Serve tea."
Maeve Sutton looked at Holly Wood, a flash of recognition in her eyes. "Mrs. Lynch, I remember now. That time I went to Leon Corporation, I saw her and Leon leaving one after the other. She was wearing a janitor’s uniform. So, she’s just a cleaner."
The words were barely out of her mouth when Leon Lynch looked at the butler by the door. "What are you standing there gawking for? Do you want me to make it twenty days?"
The butler immediately sent for help, and a few tall bodyguards came and hauled Maeve Sutton out.
"Leon, what do you think you’re doing?" Mrs. Lynch demanded, displeased.
"Mom, why do you never listen to me? I can’t stand that woman. I don’t want her anywhere near me."
Mrs. Lynch said awkwardly, "She didn’t come to see you. You don’t have to be so sensitive."
"Do you two have so much in common, Mom? I had no idea. Don’t let her come here again. It’s annoying."
A maid brought the tea. Leon Lynch picked up a cup and handed it to Holly Wood before taking his own, blowing on it, and taking a sip. "We’ll be eating at home tonight. The kitchen can start preparing dinner."
The maid nodded. "Yes, Young Master."
Mrs. Lynch turned to Holly Wood. "You’re a cleaner at the company?"
Holly Wood held her cup, not daring to take a sip. She was extremely tense. "Yes."
"How did you and Leon meet?"
Holly Wood answered truthfully. "At a movie theater."
"A movie theater?" Mrs. Lynch knew her son had never liked going to the movies.
Leon Lynch explained, "I went to the movies with Nora."
"And what is your education level?"
Holly Wood looked down, stammering slightly. "I... I dropped out of school when I was fifteen."
"Fifteen? And how old are you now?" Mrs. Lynch asked, astonished.
"Eighteen."
"You’re only eighteen? My Leon is already twenty-nine. He’s eleven years older than you. This is just..."
Leon Lynch quickly interjected, "Mom, age is just a number."
Mrs. Lynch was very displeased. She was silent for a moment before asking, "And what do your parents do for a living?"
"My dad is a security guard for our residential complex, and my mom also works as a cleaner."
"What?!" Mrs. Lynch immediately shot her a disdainful look. Her face, which had been relatively placid, instantly hardened. In a cold voice, she said, "Your family’s circumstances are so poor, your education is so low, and your looks are merely passable. A girl like you wants to date my son?"