Rain’s blood ran cold at the thought. She needed to find out who he was, and fast. Before—

  The buzz of Rain’s phone made her jump. She glanced at the screen and froze.

  Lauren.

  For a second, Rain just stared, her heart fluttering erratically in her chest. After the way they’d left things, she hadn’t expected to hear from her so soon, if ever again. With a sense of trepidation, she answered the call.

  ‘Hey,’ Rain said, trying to keep her voice casual. ‘Wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon.’

  ‘Rain, I’m really sorry about earlier,’ Lauren said, her voice nervous and regretful.

  Rain forced a laugh. ‘No worries. Let me guess, the husband came home?’

  There was a heavy pause on the other end. ‘Can we meet up for a drink tonight? There’s something I need to talk to you about.’

  Rain had a sudden, sinking feeling that whatever Lauren had to say, it wasn’t going to be good.

  ‘Sure,’ Rain heard herself say, even as her heart whispered, ‘No, don’t’. ‘When and where?’

  ‘Seven o’clock, at Gazelles in Soho?’

  ‘Okay. See you then.’

  Rain hung up, a hollow feeling spreading through her chest. Call it intuition, call it experience – but as she stared down at Fay’s lovelorn scribbles, she couldn’t shake the sense that heartbreak was lurking just around the corner, ready to pounce.

  Chapter Six

  Jake poured a generous measure of whisky into his glass, the clinking of ice cubes resonating in the air. He turned towards Lauren, offering her the same, but she declined with a shake of her head. Alcohol, she knew, wouldn’t mend the deep-rooted issues between them; only parting ways with Jake could do that. The nonchalant attitude he maintained about their loveless marriage never ceased to amaze her. It was as if he were indifferent to the fact that they hadn’t shared a moment of intimacy in years. It was merely an inconvenient truth he chose to ignore.

  Yet despite contemplating a divorce numerous times, Lauren couldn’t bring herself to sever ties with Jake. The thought felt too daunting, especially as her mother, Eleanor, would never allow anything that would tarnish the family name. This was even despite the full knowledge that the love between Lauren and Jake was long gone.

  Though it was unspoken, Lauren knew of her mother’s regret of not having a son, and in some way, Jake served as a substitute. When Lauren was just eight years old, Eleanor suffered a miscarriage, an event that left a lasting mark on their family dynamic. Even now, Lauren vividly remembered the profound sadness Eleanor struggled to conceal, a sadness that lingered in their home like a shadow, shaping their interactions and relationships.

  It was for this reason Lauren found herself unable to harbour resentment towards her mother’s complex emotions that bound her to Jake. Instead, she empathised with her mother’s unspoken grief. It was a sacrifice Lauren had willingly made to maintain her mother’s happiness.

  Sydney, Lauren’s sister, was a different story. She would never tolerate the kind of situation Lauren had resigned herself to. Sydney was a free spirit, following her heart wherever it led with a reckless abandon that Lauren both admired and envied. For the past two years, that heart had led her straight to Oliver – a man twenty years her senior but who seemed to bring out a youthful, carefree side of Sydney that was a joy to witness. Lauren adored Oliver for his kindness and integrity, but sometimes she wondered if Sydney saw in him the father figure they’d never really known due their father’s untimely death when they were small children.

  Jake’s petulant voice cut through Lauren’s musings. ‘I don’t know why I always get dragged into these bloody meetings,’ he complained, settling onto the sofa.

  ‘It’s the least you can do, considering how well you’re compensated.’

  ‘Oh, don’t start with that again.’ Jake rolled his eyes. ‘You have no idea how mind-numbing it is.’

  ‘You know what I find mind-numbing? Listening to you whine about a job most people would kill for,’ Lauren snapped, her anger bubbling over.

  Not for the first time, she cursed herself for marrying Jake in the first place. She’d been so young, so unprepared for the reality of an unexpected pregnancy and the pressure to ‘do the right thing’. With each passing year, the walls of the life she’d built closed in a little tighter, until sometimes it felt like she could scarcely breathe. Trapped by her mother’s expectations, by the vows she’d made, by her own paralysing fear of change.

  ‘You know what? Maybe one of these days I’ll take off, give you a taste of what it’s like to be left in the lurch.’

  ‘The only one you’d be hurting is Ben,’ Lauren said evenly, refusing to rise to the bait.

  Jake let out a bitter laugh. ‘Sometimes I think that kid is the only thing that gets a human reaction out of you.’

  Lauren’s nails dug into her palms. How dare he insinuate that she didn’t care about anyone but their son? Ben was her world, yes – but that didn’t mean there wasn’t room in her heart for others.

  ‘Do what you want, Jake,’ she said wearily. ‘I’ll pick up the pieces, like I always do.’

  He raised his glass in a mocking toast. ‘To the mother of the year, ladies and gentlemen.’

  White-hot rage surged through Lauren’s veins, but she tamped it down. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of engaging, wouldn’t let him draw her into another pointless argument that would leave her both bitter and drained.

  The sudden chime of the doorbell was a welcome interruption. Without a word, Lauren turned and left to answer it, letting out a squeal of happiness when she saw Sydney standing there.

  ‘Syd, I didn’t think you’d get back from Paris in time,’ Lauren said as she pulled her sister into a fierce hug.

  Sydney squeezed her back, laughing. ‘What, and leave my partner in crime in the lion’s den alone? Never.’

  Lauren grinned, already feeling lighter. ‘I was just trying to come up with a plausible excuse to get out of this meeting. I’m pretty sure the only one Mum would accept is my untimely demise.’

  ‘Even then, she’d demand a post-mortem before she believed it,’ Sydney said, with a slight shake of her head.

  Looping her arm through Sydney’s, Lauren steered her away from the living room and Jake’s prying ears, leading her instead to the sanctuary of her private office.

  As they settled onto the sofa, Lauren turned to her sister, eager to catch up. ‘How was Paris?’

  Sydney stretched languidly, the toned muscles of her arms flexing. ‘Productive. But God, I missed Ollie. And you and Ben, of course,’ she added with a wink.

  Lauren noted the deliberate omission of Jake’s name but chose not to comment. ‘I’m glad you’re back. We’ve missed you too.’

  ‘So, any idea what this super-secret meeting is about?’

  Lauren shook her head, biting her lip. The strained relationship between Sydney and their mother was a sore spot, one she tried to smooth over as best she could. But Sydney had always chafed against Eleanor’s controlling nature in a way Lauren never had.

  ‘Your guess is as good as mine.’

  ‘With my luck, it’ll be something designed to piss me off,’ Sydney said, crossing her arms.

  Lauren nudged her gently. ‘How about we wait and see before jumping to conclusions?’

  ‘Yeah, you’re right, as usual.’ Sydney’s gaze sharpened, her head tilting to the side as she studied Lauren’s face. ‘You seem . . . different. Lighter, somehow. Happier.’

  Heat rushed to Lauren’s cheeks, and she averted her gaze. ‘Do I?’

  ‘Definitely.’ Sydney reached out, tipping Lauren’s chin up with her finger. ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d say—’

  A knock at the door cut her off. Jake’s muffled voice carried through the heavy oak. ‘I’m heading to the meeting. Don’t be late.’

  Lauren pushed to her feet, extending a hand to Sydney. ‘Guess that’s our cue.’

  Sydney let Lauren pull her up. ‘I want details later, got it? I’m not going to be able to focus on a word Mum says until I know what’s got you all . . . glowy.’

  ‘Glowy?’ Lauren laughed. ‘That’s not even a word.’

  ‘Fine, radiant then. Effervescent. Incandescent.’

  ‘Are you just going to list synonyms until I spill my guts?’

  Sydney grinned. ‘If that’s what it takes.’

  Their playful back-and-forth continued all the way to the hotel’s conference room, their laughter turning heads as they entered.

  At the head of the long, polished white desk sat Lauren’s mother, Eleanor, regal and composed, sipping tea from her bone china cup. The other board members were positioned around her, their faces schooled into expressions of polite attentiveness.

  As Lauren and Sydney slid into their seats, Oliver entered, his eyes immediately seeking out Sydney. The smile they shared was so intimate, so full of quiet joy, that Lauren had to glance away, her chest aching with a sudden, fierce longing.

  That’s what I want. A love so real it steals your breath.

  Ivy, Lauren’s grandmother, was the last to arrive, moving to her chair with a brisk walk that belied her age.

  Once they were all settled, Eleanor cleared her throat, commanding the room’s attention without even raising her voice.

  ‘I’ll get right to the point,’ she said crisply. ‘With the upcoming expansion, the hotel needs a strong leader at the helm to navigate this transitional period. To that end, I’ve made a decision regarding the new general manager.’

  Lauren tried to read her mother’s inscrutable expression but failed miserably. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sydney tense, her knuckles white where they gripped the edge of the table.

  ‘And I’m appointing . . . Jake for the role.’

  The words fell like stones into the absolute stillness of the room.

  Sydney lurched halfway out of her chair before catching herself, her features contorted with shock and disbelief.

  ‘What a great choice, Mother,’ Sydney said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. Only someone who knew her as well as Lauren did would catch the undercurrent of pure, seething fury.

  And it was justified. Oliver had worked himself to the bone, learning every aspect of the business inside and out in the hopes of one day taking on a greater leadership role. To see him passed over in favour of Jake, who coasted by on charm, was a slap in the face.

  Jake preened under the attention, looking for all the world like the cat who’d just been handed the keys to the cream factory.

  ‘Thank you, Eleanor,’ Jake said smoothly. ‘I’m honoured by your faith in me, and I promise I won’t let you down.’

  ‘I have no doubt,’ Eleanor replied.

  Lauren sought out Sydney’s gaze, trying to convey her sympathy but Sydney wasn’t looking at her. She was staring at Eleanor.

  ‘She did this on purpose,’ Sydney muttered under her breath. ‘She wanted to humiliate Ollie.’

  Lauren sat through the remainder of the meeting, barely listening as her mother discussed the quarterly results and upcoming projects. Her attention was fixed on the way Jake smugly nodded along while Oliver maintained a professional demeanour, but the tension in his posture was unmistakable.

  As the meeting finally adjourned and everyone began to file out, Lauren lingered, pretending to gather her things. She waited until the last person left, then stood and faced her mother, who was organising her papers.

  ‘Mum, we need to talk,’ Lauren said, her voice tight with barely restrained frustration.

  Eleanor glanced up, a hint of surprise flickering in her eyes. ‘About?’

  Lauren tried to keep her voice steady. ‘Why did you promote Jake over Oliver? It doesn’t make any sense.’

  Eleanor’s expression remained calm, but Lauren could see a flicker of something – annoyance, perhaps? ‘Lauren, I made a business decision. Jake has shown the qualities we need in that role.’

  ‘That’s not true, and you know it,’ Lauren countered, her frustration boiling over. ‘Oliver has been working harder than anyone. He deserved that promotion.’

  Eleanor sighed, setting her papers aside and folding her hands on the table. ‘It’s not that simple. There are other factors at play.’

  ‘Other factors?’ Lauren echoed, incredulous. ‘Like what? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re intentionally punishing Ollie. What is it? Because he’s older than Syd? Because they chose not to have kids? Is that it?’

  Eleanor’s eyes hardened, but she maintained her composed demeanour. ‘This isn’t about personal relationships, Lauren. It’s about what’s best for the company.’

  ‘Best for the company?’ Lauren repeated, her voice rising. ‘What does that even mean? Ollie is the best person for the job, and everyone knows it.’

  Eleanor stood up and walked to the window, looking out over the city. ‘There are things you don’t understand, things I can’t discuss right now.’

  ‘Then make me understand,’ Lauren pressed, her voice softening. ‘Mum, if there’s something going on, I deserve to know. We all do.’

  Eleanor turned back to Lauren, her expression softer but still guarded. ‘I’m protecting this family, Lauren. There are risks and considerations you’re not aware of. I can’t say more than that. Just know that I’m doing what I believe is necessary.’

  Lauren stared at her mother, searching for any hint of the truth behind her words but found only the same inscrutable calm. She sighed, knowing she wouldn’t get any more answers today.

  ‘Fine. But this isn’t over.’

  Eleanor nodded. ‘I know. Just be patient.’

  Lauren turned and walked out of the room, her mind swirling with unanswered questions and a growing sense of unease.

  What was her mother hiding, and why did it feel like whatever it was could change everything?

  Chapter Seven

  He stalked through the hotel corridors, his jaw clenched tighter with each step, the frustration and anger building inside him like a coiled snake ready to strike. As he turned a corner, he spotted Jack pulling a trolley filled sky-high with suitcases. Without hesitation, he strode forward, his hand shooting out to grab Jack by the collar.

  ‘Where is she?’ he growled, his face inches from Jack’s.

  Jack’s eyes widened in fear, his hands instinctively coming up to try and pry the man’s fingers from his shirt. ‘W-who?’

  ‘Don’t play dumb with me,’ he snarled, slamming Jack against the wall. ‘Fay. Where is she?’

  ‘I-I don’t know,’ Jack stammered, his voice shaking. ‘I haven’t seen her lately.’

  The man’s eyes narrowed, his grip tightening. ‘You’re lying.’

  ‘No, I swear!’ Jack pleaded, his face paling. ‘I really don’t know where she is. Let me go, you’re hurting me.’

  The man leaned in closer, his breath hot against Jack’s face. ‘Listen to me carefully. If I find out you’re lying, if I discover you know something about Fay’s disappearance and you’re not telling me, I will make your life a living hell. Do you understand?’

  Jack nodded frantically, tears welling in his eyes. ‘Y-yes, sir. I understand.’

  The man held him there for a moment longer, his gaze boring into Jack’s, before he finally released him. Jack slumped against the wall, his legs threatening to give out beneath him.

  ‘If you see her, if you hear from her, you come to me immediately. Got it?’

  Jack nodded again, unable to find his voice.

  The man straightened his jacket, his eyes still filled with barely contained rage. He turned and walked away, leaving Jack trembling in his wake.

  His mind raced. He was running out of options. She knew too much. He had to get Fay back under his control.

  No matter what it took.

  Chapter Eight

  As Rain waited for her drink at the bar, the sound of laughter caught her attention. She glanced over to see two young women chatting animatedly at a nearby table.

  ‘Happy birthday to the best sister in the world!’ one of them declared, raising her glass in a toast.

  Rain felt a pang of envy and nostalgia as she watched them. She and Fay used to be that close, once upon a time. Inseparable, taking on the world together with matching grins and linked pinkies. But then Fay had left their sleepy little town to chase her dreams in London and despite her promises to visit, she never did. Slowly but surely, the distance between them grew until it felt like they were strangers living separate lives.

  Seeing the sisters, their bond so evident, was a bittersweet reminder of everything Rain had lost.

  Feeling a hand on her arm, Rain turned to see Lauren beside her. Their eyes met, and for a moment, Rain was transported back to that afternoon in Lauren’s suite, the taste of her lips, the heat of her skin. But then Lauren looked away, and the spell was broken.

  ‘What’re you drinking?’ Rain said in an attempt to fill the silence.

  Lauren scanned the drinks menu behind the bar. She looked tense, preoccupied.

  ‘Looks like you could use a double,’ Rain said, trying to coax a smile from her.

  It worked. Lauren’s face relaxed, some of the tightness around her eyes easing. ‘You’re not wrong. I’ll have a brandy, neat.’

  ‘That bad, huh?’

  Rain signalled to the bartender, adding another drink to her order as she tried to ignore the growing unease in the pit of her stomach. When their drinks arrived, she raised her bottle in a half-hearted toast to Lauren, before taking a long swig of beer.

  ‘Why don’t we grab a table?’ Lauren said, her eyes scanning the crowded bar.

  ‘Lead the way.’

  They wove through the crowd to an empty table and sat down. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavily in the air. Rain fidgeted with her bottle, her patience wearing thin as the seconds ticked by.

 

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