‘You’re right,’ she conceded with a sigh, fiddling with the paper napkin on her untouched coffee. ‘I just . . . I can’t bear the thought of losing her. Not when we were just getting started.’
Clara reached across the table and laid a comforting hand over Rain’s. ‘I know. But if it’s meant to be, it’ll work out. Lauren just needs some time.’
Rain swallowed hard past the lump forming in her throat and nodded. ‘Yeah. Yeah, you’re right,’ she said, trying to inject some confidence into her voice.
Just then, Rain’s phone lit up with a text from an unknown number. Her first instinct was to ignore it – she wasn’t exactly in the headspace for chitchat, but something made her hesitate, her thumb hovering over the screen. Could it be Sydney?
Curiosity won out and she opened the message, her eyes scanning the words quickly. ‘It’s from Lauren’s sister,’ she said, glancing up at Clara with a hint of surprise. ‘She wants someone to go undercover at the hotel, pose as a guest looking to score some drugs. You up for it?’
A mischievous glint sparked to life in Clara’s eyes and she grinned. ‘Oh, you don’t even have to ask. I was born for this role.’
Rain couldn’t help but laugh, the first genuine smile she’d cracked in days. ‘Why doesn’t that surprise me?’
Rain laughed. ‘Great. I need to go and check up on Fay first. She hasn’t been replying to my messages. I’m sure she’s fine but I just want to double check.’
‘No problem. Let’s go.’
Rain felt a surge of gratitude for her Clara’s unwavering support.
‘I don’t know what I did to deserve a friend like you, Clara. Honestly, I’d be lost without you,’ she said, her voice thick with emotion.
‘That’s what I’m here for.’ She flashed a warm smile before turning more serious. ‘But really, I believe everything happens for a reason. Call it fate, call it God’s plan, but I truly think that what’s meant to be, will be.’
Rain let those words sink in, feeling a glimmer of hope spark in her chest. ‘You know, you might be onto something there,’ she mused, a thoughtful expression settling on her features.
If that’s true, then maybe I don’t need to be so afraid of losing Lauren. If we’re meant to be together, we’ll find our way back to each other, no matter what.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Lauren paced the length of the living room, her mind swirling with thoughts she struggled to keep in order. The weight of what she needed to say pressed down on her, making her steps feel heavy. She had rehearsed this conversation countless times, crafting and recrafting her words, but now that the moment was here, her stomach churned with anticipation and dread.
The sudden sound of the front door creaking open yanked her from her turbulent thoughts. She turned, her heart skipping a beat as Jake entered, looking worn yet familiar. His suit jacket hung carelessly over his shoulder, and a weary smile crept onto his face as he caught sight of her.
‘Hey, babe,’ Jake said, his voice carrying the casual ease that once comforted her. ‘What’s for dinner?’
Lauren’s stomach twisted at his attempt at normalcy, a painful reminder of the gulf that had grown between them. ‘Funny,’ she replied, her voice flat and devoid of amusement.
Jake’s smile faltered, and he sighed, a hint of frustration flickering in his eyes. ‘It didn’t used to be a joke, you know. You’d have given me the tightest hug and told me you made my favourite.’
Lauren felt a pang of nostalgia for the days when things were simpler, when their love felt unshakeable. ‘Those days are long gone, Jake,’ she said quietly, the words tasting bitter on her tongue.
Jake nodded, his expression tinged with sadness as he walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink. ‘I know. Do you ever wonder if we made a mistake?’ He offered her a glass, and she accepted it, the coolness of the tumbler a stark contrast to the turmoil in her heart.
‘We were young,’ she said, taking a sip and letting the warmth of the alcohol soothe her nerves. ‘And idealistic.’
‘Oh, very,’ Jake agreed, a faint smile playing on his lips. ‘You more than me.’
Lauren couldn’t help but chuckle, a brief moment of levity breaking through the tension. ‘Where did it all go wrong?’
Jake’s smile faded, replaced by a look of deep contemplation. ‘I guess we just stopped trying,’ he said softly. ‘Long before you . . . well, long before everything went to hell.’
She met his gaze, her heart aching. ‘That’s all in the past now.’
Jake turned to her, a glimmer of hope lighting up his eyes. ‘Is it?’
Lauren took a deep breath, the words she had been dreading to say pressing against her lips. ‘Yes. Jake, there’s no easy way to say this, but . . . I want a divorce.’ The words spilt out, tumbling from her lips before she could reconsider.
Jake’s face contorted in confusion, the weight of her words sinking in.
‘I’m not happy, Jake. I haven’t been for a long time. I think it’s best if we go our separate ways.’
His expression hardened, his eyes narrowing as he processed her revelation. ‘We have a son together, Lauren. You can’t just walk away from that.’
‘I’m not walking away from Ben,’ Lauren said firmly, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. ‘But I am walking away from you.’
Jake’s jaw clenched, anger flashing in his eyes. ‘If you think I’m going to let you take my son away from me, you’ve got another think coming.’
Lauren felt a surge of anger rise within her, hot and consuming. ‘Oh, so now you care about him?’ she shot back, her voice laced with bitterness. ‘Where was that concern when you were off screwing Fay behind my back?’
The accusation hung heavily in the air, the silence that followed thick with tension. For a moment, Lauren thought she saw a flicker of guilt cross Jake’s face, but it vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.
‘You know what? I’m sick of this,’ Jake said, his voice dripping with frustration. He got to his feet and poured another drink, downing it in one go. ‘You think you know me, but you don’t. You know nothing about me apart from the villain you’ve made me out to be.’
Lauren scoffed, her eyes narrowing in disdain. ‘Please, Jake. Don’t start playing the victim now. You were the one who ruined our marriage.’
‘Did I?’ he challenged, his eyes locking onto hers with a fierce intensity. ‘Did I really?’
‘What? Are you going to start denying it now?’ Lauren shot back, her heart pounding in her chest.
