Lauren's POV One moment, I was staring at my mother as she stood in front of me with her pale face and red-rimmed eyes, and I was hugging her and pulling her into my suite in the next. “How…how are you here? I just left the house, and you were still unconscious. Oh, my God. Do you need anything at all? Are you hungry?” I bombarded her with questions as I sat her down on the bed and wrapped a blanket around her. “Lauren,” she said, looking up at me with her eyes glossy from tears. “I can’t believe I still get to see you after everything. I don’t deserve any of this.” “You can’t say that. It’s not your fault. You deserve to be free and happy. You—” “You got married?” she asked me, taking her frail arm and using it to cup my cheek. “You have no idea how proud I am. I didn’t think I would get to see you again. I woke up and demanded to see you. The man claimed that he was your husband.” “It’s a bit complicated, but yes, I’m married.” I nodded in c
Lauren's POV “Mom!” I screamed, standing up and running after her as Damien overtook me and took his phone out to make a call to the front desk. “Don’t let her get out. Block all exits. If she makes an escape, every single staff in this hotel is fired,” he threatened over the phone. I could barely see where I was running to as tears blurred my vision. I had to slow down because of how heated and how fast my heart was beating in response to my actions, and I ended up falling to the floor and crying, aggressively wiping my tears. “Why are you doing this to me?” I asked a question meant for my mother that she couldn’t hear me ask just yet. “I just want you to be fine. Why do you have to do this to me? I know it’s not your fault, but…” By the time I managed to gather my strength and take the elevator to the first floor, Damien was shouting at his staff as they all stood in a straight row, looking down in shame. “How can you stand here and tell me
“Can it wait until tomorrow?” I asked Damien, rubbing my eyes and staring up at the ceiling. “You know it’s been a long day, and a long night especially.” “I understand how badly you need to rest, but I just wanted to talk to you about this before it turns into something less important. It’s about what you heard me and Darla talking about.” “You should know that I don’t want to talk about it right now. I told you to give me time to think about it,” I reminded him. “I know what you told me, Lauren. There are just a couple of things that I want you to know. I just want you to listen to me, please,” he pleaded. With a defeated sigh, and because I wasn’t sleepy in the first place, I sat up and gave him the go-ahead for what he wanted to tell me. “I was just nineteen when my father fully introduced me to this business. He had asked me to take a parcel to a group of men, and I did as he said because I didn’t know what was in the parcel. Even if I kn
Lauren's POV “I don’t understand.” I shook my head, getting out of bed and walking towards the balcony of my suite to get some air. “Conrad’s father has been in prison for years now?!” Not only was that the case, he was in prison for murder as well? The thought of that and the fact that Conrad knew but hid it from me the whole time sent a sick feeling into my stomach. “Yes, Lauren. I believe he will be getting released soon as well. I wanted you to know this because it would cause a misunderstanding if you had to find out any other way,” he explained. “Does Shirley know about this? I know we broke up and he lied to me when we were still together, but please tell me that Shirley knows the truth at least,” I pleaded. “I honestly don’t know about that, Lauren. I don’t keep track of what they decide to tell each other in their relationship,” he replied. “They’re planning to get married, Damien. If anything, she should know the truth about the pers
Lauren's POV The ache that shot through my head when I opened my eyes forced me to close them back to come back to my senses and figure out what was happening. I groaned, opening my eyes and finding myself in a white and sterile hospital room. “Are you okay? Do you need me to call the doctor or a nurse?” Damien asked me as soon as I made eye contact with him. He was sitting beside me and had one of my hands in his. “What happened to me?” I questioned, still looking around and wincing at the reminder of the pain in my head. “You passed out in the hotel. When I got the call, I knew I had to be here no matter what. I know you want your space, but your safety is also as important to me as that. If you want me to leave now that you’re awake, I will,” he assured. “My head hurts,” was the only thing I could mutter as he helped me sit up. “I’ll go get the doctor,” he announced, standing up and leaving the room. Suspecting that the light bo
Lauren's POV Since Damien had practically confessed that he was falling in love with me, I had not said a word. I went back to eating after a nervous chuckle, trying to forget his words even though they kept lingering in my head. “Are you settled in nicely?” he asked me as I sat in the passenger seat of his car after being discharged and he had offered to drive me back to the hotel. “I’m perfectly fine,” I assured him as he started the car and drove off. I didn’t know if the drive was equally as awkward for him as it was for me, but I was not looking to find out about it. I looked out of the window until he announced that we had arrived. “Are you sure that you’re going to be okay here, all by yourself?” he questioned, the worry obvious on his face and in his tone. “You don’t have to worry more now just because we’re aware that I’m pregnant. All the times that I had been staying here, I was pregnant as well,” I reminded him, and he nodded in un
Lauren's POV “Shirley,” I called her name in a warning tone, taking a deep breath and closing my eyes. “I don’t think you have thought this completely through. The last thing you want to do is make a mistake with this decision and only realize when it’s too late.” I may not have been the biggest advocate for Shirley and Conrad getting married, but her deciding to call off the wedding was not something I fully supported either. “How are you the one telling me this? You’re supposed to encourage me to leave him. He lied to you as well, and I know I never got the chance to tell you this before, but I’m really sorry for what happened. I wanted to tell you—” “Now is not the time, Shirley. You need to get to somewhere that we don’t have to worry about you being. Remember that you’re pregnant as well,” I told her. “I’m in a taxi, Lauren. I just want you to forgive me. I swear I didn’t start seeing him until he assured me that you two were broken up. He lied to
Lauren's POV I was stuck between being annoyed and being worried at Damien. I really hoped he was doing alright, but there was a voice in the back of my head that kept trying hard to convince me that he had chosen his line of work over me and the child. “This is fine,” I said to the driver who had been assigned to me at the hotel, preventing him from driving into the house. “You don’t have to wait for me,” I said as I got out of the car. “Damien might offer to drive me back if he’s in.” “Are you sure? I mean, what if he’s not in?” the driver asked, looking worried and turning from side to side to make sure the estate was clear. I hesitated for a moment because he could be right about it. Then, I sighed in defeat and nodded. “If I find him, I’ll make sure I tell you so that you can leave. I’ll be right back,” I assured, hurrying into the house and finding two guards standing in front of the door. “Is Damien in the house?” I asked them.