If you wanna know where she is, I’d take a closer look at her building manager.
He hit send and leaned back, waiting for a reply. The account that made the post was anonymous, so he couldn’t tell who it was. But if they were tight enough with Fay to be posting about her, he figured it was probably her sister.
A few minutes later, a notification popped up. The account had responded to his comment.
The building manager? Why do you think he knows something about her disappearance?
The bait was set. The next message would lead him straight to Fay’s sister.
He took a sip of whisky, then started typing again.
I’ve already said too much.
He sent the message and waited, but not for long. Another notification popped up quickly.
We’ll check him out. Thanks for the tip!
Bingo!
He grinned, feeling triumphant. All he had to do was stake out Fay’s building and wait for her sister to show up. Once he knew where she lived, he’d bide his time. Fay would turn up sooner or later.
If there was one thing he knew about Fay, it was that she was predictable.
Totally unlike him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Lauren walked into the cold, sterile hospital room, which felt emptier than ever now that the monitors were silent. The steady, rhythmic beeping had been replaced with an unnerving silence. It all seemed so surreal. Just hours earlier, everything in her life had been almost too perfect – she had been looking forward to the night ahead with Rain, imagining falling asleep in her arms and waking up next to her, knowing what they had was real, that they were finally together in every sense of the word. Instead, now . . . now she was here, staring at her gran’s still form on the bed, trying to wrap her head around the fact that she was really gone.
She stepped closer, her legs weakening with each step. It was like a bad dream, seeing her like this – pale, lifeless, so different from the vibrant, lively woman she’d always been. Lauren’s eyes filled with tears as the reality of it all crashed down on her. Memories flashed through her mind – the frantic rush to her gran’s apartment after Sydney’s call, the terror that had gripped her when she saw her unconscious on the floor, and the desperate attempts to revive her. The paramedics rushing in, the agonising wait for news. And then . . . then the devastating truth.
Lauren sank down onto a chair at the side of the bed, her hand reaching out to touch her face. Her skin was cold, so different from the warmth Lauren had always associated with her. A sob tore from her throat, raw and painful. It felt as if her heart was being ripped out of her chest.
Her gran, her rock, her guiding light . . . she was gone. And nothing would ever be the same.
Tears streamed down Lauren’s face as she clung to her hand. She wanted to say so much, to tell her how much she meant to her, how lost she felt without her.
But it was too late. She’d never get the chance again.
Even in the depths of her despair, Lauren knew that her gran would always be with her. Her love, her wisdom, her unwavering support – those things would live on in Lauren’s heart forever.
‘I love you, Gran. Always.’ Lauren brushed a stray lock of hair from her gran’s forehead, her fingers trembling. ‘I’ll make you proud. I promise.’
She clutched her lifeless hand, her heart heavy with the finality of it all. Tears streamed down her face, and she couldn’t bring herself to let go.
The door opened behind her, and Lauren turned to see Oliver standing there. His eyes were red and puffy, a testament to his own grief. He looked hesitant, as if unsure if he should intrude, but determined all the same. He walked in slowly, each step deliberate.
‘Hey, Lauren,’ he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. ‘How are you holding up?’
Lauren shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. ‘Not good. I . . . I can’t believe she’s gone.’
Oliver nodded, his gaze moving to her gran’s still form. He took a deep breath.
‘I wanted to tell you . . . Syd can’t come back in. She’s too distraught. She just can’t face it.’
Lauren felt a fresh wave of sorrow crash over her. She had known Sydney was struggling, but hearing it confirmed was still a blow.
‘I understand,’ she said quietly. ‘It’s okay. Really.’
Oliver stepped closer, his presence warm and comforting. He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.
‘I’m here for you. For both of you. Whatever you need.’
Lauren looked up at him, her tears blurring his face. ‘Ollie, I’m sorry for the way my mum has treated you. You don’t deserve that. Not after everything you’ve done for us.’
Oliver shook his head, a sad smile playing at the corners of his lips. ‘It’s fine, Lauren. Honestly. I can endure anything as long as Syd is happy. She means the world to me.’
The sincerity in his voice broke something inside her, and she reached out, taking his hand and squeezing it tightly. ‘You’re a good guy, Ollie. I don’t know what we’d do without you.’
He squeezed her hand back, his grip steady and reassuring. ‘You don’t have to do anything without me. We’re in this together, all of us. And your gran . . . she knew how much you loved her. She was always so proud of you.’
Lauren looked back at her gran, the tears spilling over once more. ‘I hope so.’
‘She was,’ Oliver said firmly. ‘She absolutely was.’
Lauren got to her feet, leaning over to kiss her grandmother’s forehead one last time, and whispered a final goodbye, knowing that her spirit would always be with her, guiding her through whatever challenges lay ahead.
Chapter Twenty-Six
