‘I think so,’ Lauren said, her voice growing stronger with conviction. ‘Not for someone else, though. I need to do it for me.’
‘If you ever need a solicitor . . .’ Mark offered, letting the sentiment hang in the air.
‘I’ll keep you in mind,’ Lauren said. ‘Right, I’d better get back. I’ve got some serious lazing around to catch up on.’
As she said goodbye, Lauren couldn’t help but notice how handsome Mark was, with his nice smile and thick hair. He was definitely easy on the eyes, and it was clear he found her attractive too, but that’s all there was to it. No spark, no butterflies, nothing. If anything, it just confirmed that her feelings for Rain were the real deal, not some escape fantasy.
On the walk back to her cottage, a rainbow arched across the sky, its vibrant colours stretching out like a beacon of hope. For Lauren, it was a sign – a sign that her grandmother was watching over her, guiding her towards a brighter future.
Chapter Thirty-One
Rain stared at her phone, her heart heavy with disappointment as the screen remained stubbornly devoid of any messages from Lauren. She had reached out, offering her condolences after Lauren’s grandmother passed away, but the only response she received was a measly thumbs-up reaction. It took every ounce of willpower not to pick up the phone and call Lauren, to bombard her with messages of support and love, but Rain knew she had to respect Lauren’s need for space, no matter how much it pained her to do so.
Fay, on the other hand, was a completely different source of frustration. Rain had been relentless in her pursuit of the truth, desperate to know if the mystery man Fay had been involved with was indeed Lauren’s husband. But Fay remained tight-lipped, refusing to divulge even the smallest detail, much to Rain’s growing exasperation.
Fed up with her elusiveness, Rain went in search of Fay, determined to get some answers, even if it took all day. She found Fay in the living room, her gaze distant and unfocused, as if she were lost in thought, grappling with the weight of her secrets.
‘So, have you decided what you’re going to do?’ Rain asked, her voice cutting through the silence and startling Fay out of her reverie.
‘Huh? What’d you say?’ Fay blinked, looking disoriented, as if she had been pulled from a deep trance.
Rain sighed, sinking onto the sofa beside her. ‘I said, what’s your plan? I’ve only got this place for a few more days, then I’m heading home.’
Fay’s eyes widened, panic flickering across her face. ‘You can’t just leave me, Rain!’
‘Well, what am I supposed to do?’ Rain threw up her hands in frustration, her patience wearing thin. ‘You won’t tell me what’s really going on, and don’t even try to feed me some rubbish about not being able to. I don’t believe you.’
Fay bit her lip, a look of inner turmoil etched on her features. ‘Rain—’
‘Look, the only way you’re going to be safe, is if the ringleader gets arrested. Just tell me who it is,’ Rain pressed, leaning forward, her eyes boring into Fay’s.
‘I can’t, he’ll kill me,’ Fay admitted, her voice small and defeated.
Rain’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Is it the guy you were fooling around with?’
‘Please, Rain,’ Fay said flatly, her tone guarded and evasive.
‘Is that why won’t you tell me who he is? Because you want to protect him?’
Fay looked away, unable to meet Rain’s intense gaze. ‘No, I won’t tell you because too many people will get hurt. Especially Lauren.’
Rain’s pulse quickened at the mention of Lauren’s name, a sense of foreboding settling in the pit of her stomach. ‘So, it is her husband?’
‘I didn’t say that,’ Fay backpedalled, her eyes wide with panic.
‘If you won’t tell me I’m going to have to find out myself.’ Rain said, as if it were the most simple and obvious solution in the world.
‘In case you forgot, you’re a chef, not some vigilante crime fighter.’
‘Yeah, but I’m your sister too. I don’t want to live my life having a heart attack every time the phone rings thinking it’s someone calling to tell me you’re dead.’
‘I wish you would just leave this alone. I can sort it out myself.’
‘Really? You’ve done a great job so far, haven’t you?’ Rain moved to the door. ‘I’m going to get to the bottom of this one way or another. With or without your help.’
But first I need to figure out how to get back into the hotel.
Suddenly, Fay got up and pulled Rain into a bone-crushing hug, catching her off guard. ‘Don’t do this!’
Rain patted Fay’s back awkwardly, not used to such displays of affection from her usually distant sister. ‘You could just tell me?’
Fay simply drew back and shook her head.
‘Well, that settles it then. I’m on my own.’
With that, she opened the door and walked out hoping Fay would call her back, but the silence was deafening.
Chapter Thirty-Two
He waited in the shadows, his eyes fixed on Rain’s flat, watching for any sign of movement. Minutes turned to hours as he stood there, his patience wearing thin. Just as he was about to give up, the door opened and Rain stepped out, her keys jingling as she locked up behind her.
This was his chance.
As soon as Rain was out of sight, he moved quickly, keeping to the edges of the building until he reached her door. With a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching, he knocked loudly, his heart pounding in his chest.
The door swung open, revealing a shocked Fay standing on the other side. Her eyes widened in recognition and fear, and she stumbled backwards into the flat, trying to slam the door shut, but he was too fast, his foot jamming into the gap as he forced his way inside.
‘Where is it?’ he growled, his voice low and menacing as he advanced on her. Fay backed away, her hands held up in front of her as if to ward him off.
