Chapter 197: Chapter 197: How Could the Girl I, Mason Lawson, Have Chosen Be Bad?

Julian Lawson’s question cut straight to the soul.

But Mason Lawson refused to answer. Instead, he warned, "Stay out of my business!"

With that, he stormed off. Before leaving, he ordered his bodyguards to take Julian Lawson to a specific address.

It was the villa where Ethan Lawson was fooling around with a rising starlet tonight. He figured it would be quite a shock for Ethan to see his own son dumped on the doorstep like that.

...

It was the middle of the night by the time Mason Lawson returned to Eve Vaughn’s side.

Under the warm yellow light, the young woman was sleeping soundly, completely at peace.

He sighed softly, gently pulling her into his arms before finally falling asleep himself.

「The next day」

They slept in, waking up naturally.

Mason Lawson’s phone was untouched. After all, he had leverage over Julian Lawson, who wouldn’t dare tattle after going back.

So, the first branch of the family could only suffer in silence.

Eve Vaughn, however, was a different story.

She took her phone out of her bag only to find she’d been bombarded with dozens of missed calls and texts.

After all, she was supposed to have left with her school group for the flight abroad this morning.

Everyone else must have gone. She was the only one missing.

Eve Vaughn was so nervous she didn’t know what to do.

’How am I going to explain this to my professor?’

Just then, Mason Lawson came out of the bathroom, took her phone, turned it off, and set it aside.

Eve Vaughn was so anxious she tried to snatch it back. "Give it back! My professor is probably furious!"

"I already explained things for you."

Mason Lawson ruffled her hair reassuringly. "Go back to sleep. I’ll handle the school."

How could Eve Vaughn possibly feel sleepy now?

She trusted Mason Lawson’s capabilities, of course.

But so much had happened between yesterday and today, and she hadn’t had a chance to process it all.

Looking at the young woman’s sleepy-eyed morning face, Mason Lawson found her adorable. He leaned down to kiss her. "If you don’t want to sleep, then get up and wash your face. Someone will be bringing breakfast over soon, hmm?"

Eve Vaughn sighed and looked at him resentfully. "So, all my efforts during this time were completely unnecessary in your eyes?"

Mason Lawson paused. "What efforts?"

Eve Vaughn was furious. She thumped his chest hard. "Do you have any idea how much courage it took for me to break up with you? And how heartbroken I was when you misunderstood me and thought I was a gold digger? And you have the nerve to ask what efforts? And yesterday! Yesterday..."

She had begged him like that, but he’d refused her, splashed her with cold water, and bullied her!

But Eve Vaughn couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud.

However, it was as if Mason Lawson hadn’t heard her earlier accusations, choosing instead to seize on her last word.

He gave a wicked smile, his well-defined features moving closer to hers as he asked suggestively, "Tell me, what about yesterday?"

Eve Vaughn’s fair little face flushed red. She pushed him away indignantly. "I’m not talking to you anymore! Mason Lawson, I’m going back to my dorm as soon as I’m done washing up!"

Although she sounded firm, Mason Lawson could detect a hint of pouting in her tone.

He pulled her back from behind, drawing her into his embrace. His expression turned serious. "I know about the effort you put into our relationship. I remember it all. But next time, you have to tell me everything. You can’t hide things from me and act on your own again, understand?"

Eve Vaughn pursed her lips but nodded obediently.

Then, as if she’d thought of something, she said sternly, "And you can’t be so harsh with me all the time!"

Mason Lawson gave a helpless, doting smile. "When have I ever been harsh with you?"

The young woman said with a straight face, "You’re harsh with me all the time! I bet you’re a really scary boss at the office, too. Your employees must be terrified of you."

He was so exasperated he had to laugh. He nodded. "I am quite harsh at the company. How else could I manage so many people? But with you, I’ve honestly been very patient."

Eve Vaughn pouted and retorted, "No, you haven’t!"

Mason Lawson pinched her little nose. "If you were my employee, I would have fired you countless times by now!"

Eve Vaughn looked at him, crestfallen. "Am... am I really that bad?"

"I’m just teasing you."

Mason Lawson held her in his arms, kissing the top of her head as he said softly, "How could the girl I, Mason Lawson, have my eye on possibly be bad?"

Eve Vaughn couldn’t help but smile.

She wondered if everyone in love was like her, ecstatic over a single sentence from their partner.

And just as easily dejected by an unintentional action.

Later, while Eve Vaughn was washing up, her phone rang again.

Mason Lawson glanced at it. Although there was no caller ID, he recognized it as a number from the Lawson Family estate.

He picked up her phone and answered it directly.

When The Third Madam on the other end heard Mason Lawson’s voice, she was instantly enraged.

"Mason, you... you’re with Eve Vaughn right now?" The Third Madam demanded sharply.

Mason Lawson replied coolly, "To be precise, we’ve been together since last night."

The Third Madam nearly fainted from anger. She sneered, "No wonder the school told me just now that Eve Vaughn was missing. I knew it wasn’t that simple! That girl is really something else, turning on us in the end. All the painstaking arrangements your father and I made were for nothing!"

Soon, Old Mr. Lawson’s voice came through the phone. "Tell that rebellious son to get back here immediately! If he doesn’t, he can just elope with that girl! The Lawson Family will no longer have a son like him!"

The Third Madam soothed the old man while saying to Mason Lawson, "Did you hear what your father said? Get back here right now!"

When Eve Vaughn came out after washing up, she saw Mason Lawson holding her phone, having just finished a call.

Noticing her confusion, Mason Lawson explained simply, "The Lawson Family."

At the mention of the Lawson Family, Eve Vaughn instinctively bristled. More than that, she felt guilty and insecure.

After all, she had personally promised The Third Madam that she wouldn’t drag Mason Lawson down.

But now, not only had she not gone abroad, she was also with Mason.

Eve Vaughn looked at Mason Lawson worriedly. "You answered my phone. Now your father and stepmother know we’re together."

Mason Lawson said dismissively, "Didn’t they already know? They just haven’t accepted it yet. But none of this is your problem. I’ll handle it."

Mason Lawson’s words gave Eve Vaughn an inexplicable sense of peace.

It seemed it had always been this way. As long as he was there, nothing was a problem.

Mason Lawson instructed her, "Eat a good breakfast when it arrives. I’ll have Neil Kane take you back to school afterward. I need to head back to the Lawson estate now..."

Without another word, he wasted no time and began to change his clothes.

Eve Vaughn stood to the side, watching his slightly rushed movements. She said apologetically, "I’m sorry... You’re going through all this trouble because of me."

A wave of tenderness washed over Mason Lawson. He stroked her cheek, which was fair and delicate without a trace of makeup. "I’m the one who should be sorry. If you weren’t with me, you probably wouldn’t have to go through all this. I should be the one protecting you properly."

For some reason, Eve Vaughn recalled a line she had once read in a book: ’Love is to always feel indebted.’

She wondered if this was his way of loving her.

She also wondered if it was too soon to talk about ’love’ with Mason Lawson.

But Mason Lawson, despite being the CEO of Lawson Group, wealthy, and handsome, never made Eve Vaughn feel like she was reaching above her station.

On the contrary, he felt apologetic because of his family’s complicated situation.

His reaction warmed Eve Vaughn’s heart.

Later, Mason Lawson left the hotel early, but not before reminding Eve Vaughn to eat a proper breakfast and not to overthink things.

And so, after a reassuring breakfast, Eve Vaughn was driven back to school by Neil Kane.

She was still a little worried on the way.

As soon as she got out of the car, she sent Mason Lawson a message, asking how things were on his end.

She was terrified that Old Mr. Lawson would strip Mason of everything with a single command.

But Mason Lawson replied with a single sentence: The things you’re worried about will never happen.

Eve Vaughn finally breathed a sigh of relief and sent him a pink heart emoji.

When she got to her dorm room, Regina Shaw was just waking up.

She was stunned when she saw Eve Vaughn.

"You... didn’t you go abroad?"

She hadn’t seen Eve Vaughn when she came back last night, so she’d assumed the travel time had changed.

She never expected that Eve Vaughn hadn’t left after all.

Regina Shaw quickly scrambled down from her bed and pulled her over. "Spill! What on earth is going on?"

Regina had a gossipy look on her face, feeling that there was more to the story.

After all, the opportunity to be an exchange student was so rare. There had to be another reason for Eve Vaughn to give it up.

...

「Meanwhile, at the Lawson estate.」

Old Mr. Lawson was so angry he started coughing violently again.

The Third Madam helped the old man catch his breath, then turned to Mason Lawson. "Mason, do you really want to anger your parents to death? Your father was just discharged from the hospital, and you didn’t even come home last night. Are you completely disregarding the Lawson Family’s rules now?"

Mason Lawson stared coldly at the old man.

The father he once revered now looked to him like the executioner who had caused his mother’s death.

In the past, he had listened to his parents and followed their rules not out of fear, but out of genuine respect.

But now, even this father he had always admired had turned into a treacherous man who never spoke a word of truth. He felt there was no need to abide by the rules set by such a person.

"What are you looking at!"

Old Mr. Lawson suddenly noticed Mason Lawson staring at him. He flew into a rage, roaring between coughs, "With a look like that, are you telling me you want to kill me for that girl, Eve Vaughn? Mason Lawson, do you really think I can’t do anything to you?"

Mason Lawson simply sat down on the sofa and asked calmly, "Fine. Why don’t you tell me what you can do?"