CHAPTER 127: CHAPTER 127: INTENSE LONELINESS

Shannon Quinn shot Yara Hughes a glance, just as Lynn Kendall walked directly over.

She strode confidently in her high heels, alluring enough to captivate any man with her outfit.

"Shannon, did you all come so early?" Lynn remarked, twirling in front of Shannon Quinn, "How does this outfit look? I designed it myself."

Shannon Quinn smiled politely, saying, "It looks good."

"Doesn’t it? I think it’s especially beautiful. I really love the color, and clothes that are self-designed fit so much better than store-bought ones. Besides me, probably no one else could wear this outfit."

Shannon Quinn added silently in her mind: Probably no one else would want to wear it either.

"Oh right, Shannon, I have a question for you." Lynn said, glancing at Yara Hughes and then pulling Shannon Quinn to the corner, where she discreetly asked, "You know Landon Sutton, right?"

Upon hearing this man’s name, Shannon Quinn looked at Lynn Kendall with curiosity, wondering what she was planning now.

"I heard he came to the studio looking to collaborate with you before, and Mona even said he pursued you?"

Shannon Quinn neither confirmed nor denied, just asked, "What’s up?"

Lynn Kendall chuckled: "Don’t misunderstand, it’s just that Mona asked me to check with you whether you’ve had any recent contact with him."

"Isn’t that none of her business?"

"Yeah, I told her it’s inappropriate to come asking you about this, but she insisted I come to ask, saying it’s been a while since she’s been able to contact Landon Sutton and hasn’t seen him. Maybe she’s just worried and thought to inquire with you, without any other intentions."

Shannon Quinn smiled and said, "Mr. Sutton is just a former client of mine. We don’t have to track the whereabouts of our clients all the time, do we? So, you asked the wrong person."

"I just wanted to ask, so I can report back to Mona, otherwise she keeps bothering me about it. I’ve been persuading her to stop obsessing over someone who doesn’t like her, but she claims she’s been in love for years and can’t let go. You see, young girls nowadays aren’t mature at all; they’d go to extremes for the sake of love."

Shannon Quinn smiled without saying anything, unsure how Lynn Kendall would communicate with Claire Yardley.

"You know, a man like Landon Sutton can’t be won over by persistence. Sometimes, the more a woman likes and clings to him, the less interested he is."

Shannon Quinn replied perfunctorily with a "Hmm," without further comment.

Lynn Kendall glanced around the environment, remarking, "I just realized Mr. Lockwood’s house is so luxurious. Coming in, I saw there’s a pool outside; if it weren’t so cold, I’d want to take a dip."

Shannon Quinn maintained her smile, slightly surprised upon arrival, learning for the first time about Aidan Lockwood’s large private residence.

The cold weather kept activities indoors, but the hall was spacious enough.

"We could suggest to Mr. Lockwood having a pool party when it gets warmer."

"Sure thing." Aidan’s voice came from behind, Lynn promptly greeted him with a smile, "Mr. Lockwood."

Shannon Quinn turned, smiling at Aidan Lockwood.

"Since my parents moved abroad, this place has been vacant. We can gather here whenever we want."

"You’re too generous, Mr. Lockwood! And you look so handsome today!"

Aidan joked, "Only today?" Then turned to Shannon Quinn, "Shannon, I scheduled a few prize activities later, could you host them?"

"Huh? Me?"

"I should have discussed it with you earlier."

Lynn Kendall quickly offered before Shannon Quinn could agree: "It’s okay, Mr. Lockwood. If Shannon’s uncomfortable, I can host. I used to host school events myself."

Aidan’s eyes showed a moment of embarrassment; he glanced at Shannon Quinn, who graciously said with a smile, "Let Lynn do it then."

"Alright, come with me, I’ll explain the rules."

"Okay, Shannon, I’ll leave you for now."

Shannon Quinn nodded with a smile as Aidan turned and walked a couple of steps, then looked back at Shannon Quinn, saying, "Put on a coat if it’s cold. Don’t catch a cold."

"I’m fine, it’s warm inside. You guys go prepare."

Lynn Kendall loves to steal the spotlight, and Shannon Quinn had no intention of competing in these matters.

As the event began, everyone stood below the stage, Lynn Kendall hosting with ease.

Lynn’s outfit was eye-catching, and under the spotlight, drew even more attention. The male colleagues were captivated, murmuring among themselves below.

Sheila Yardley stood beside Shannon Quinn, whispering, "If I dressed like that to go out, Ryder Griffin would break my legs."

Shannon Quinn didn’t know why, but whenever Sheila Yardley mentioned Ryder Griffin, her mind inevitably wandered to Vincent Rhodes, hypothesizing how Vincent would react if the same situation occurred to her.

After contemplating, she felt empty, as though she was putting on a solo performance without a lead actor or audience.

Before Vincent Rhodes appeared, she seemed less sensitive; after his arrival, she began comparing her own love and marriage to her friends’, and the outcome was evident.

Even the simplest gestures by nearby couples made her feel envious.

Simon Rhodes often told her to trust Vincent, promising she’d get a satisfying answer when he returned, yet she was unaware if waiting would truly grant her the life and happiness she desired.

"Shannon, what are you daydreaming about? It’s time for you to receive your year-end bonus!"

Shannon Quinn suddenly snapped back into reality, stepping onto the stage to collect her envelope from the assistant.

"Shannon, say a few words," Lynn handed her the microphone.

Shannon Quinn hesitated, took the microphone, and spoke formally, "Thank you very much to Boss Lockwood for nurturing us. I also thank everyone for their dedication and effort towards the company. I believe we are not only a team but more like a family. I hope we continue to work together for the future of ourselves and the company."

The party was lively, with a variety of activities, but Shannon Quinn didn’t engage.

Firstly, she was pregnant, preventing participation in certain activities and games; secondly, she wasn’t in the mood.

The busier it got, the more intensely she felt loneliness.

She couldn’t figure out what was wrong with herself, feeling she hadn’t been like this before.