Chapter 4
Every time Charlotte had called her "Laurie" in the original story, the name had sounded dipped in honey, sweet enough to make one's teeth ache.
But only Laura knew there was a blade hidden inside that honey.
"Laurie, Charles is really worried about you," Charlotte said in a gentle, caring tone. "How could you go to Harbor City without telling us? The gala's the day after tomorrow, and Charles is still waiting for you to attend with him. If you have something to deal with in Harbor City, you can come back first and handle it after the gala."
Leaning against the windowsill, Laura looked down at the brightly lit street below and curved her lips into a faint smile.
Charlotte's words sounded like concern, but every line carried the same message underneath: Laura was just an accessory to Charles Renner.
"Ms. Sinclair," Laura said at last, her voice calm as still water, "Charles Renner and I are not married. We don't live together. Strictly speaking, we're not even really in a relationship."
"Where I go is none of anyone else's business."
Charlotte clearly hadn't expected that reaction from Laura.
In the original story, Laura had always been careful around Charlotte, terrified of upsetting her, because if Charlotte was unhappy, Charles would be unhappy too.
"Laurie, what's wrong?" Charlotte's voice gained a trace of wounded innocence. "Did I do something to upset you? If I did, I'll apologize. I was just worried about you. Charles is worried too. Everyone's been looking for you..."
"Ms. Sinclair," Laura cut in, her tone just as calm, "you didn't do anything wrong. You did everything perfectly. Perfectly enough to make Charles misunderstand me, perfectly enough to make everyone think I was petty, and perfectly enough to push me into a corner step by step. I really admire you."
Charlotte fell completely silent.
"But none of that has anything to do with me anymore," Laura said. "Whatever is going on between you and Charles, handle it yourselves. Starting today, Laura Evans is out of your story."
She hung up and blocked Charlotte's number too.
After that, Laura took a shower, changed into pajamas, and lay down on the narrow little bed.
Outside came the sounds of passing motorcycles, people chatting and laughing, and that lively street warmth unique to this city.
She closed her eyes and drifted off quickly.
That night, she didn't dream. She didn't dream of the bloody scenes from the original story, Charles Renner's cold stare, or herself kneeling in the rain until her knees were a wreck.
She slept deeply and peacefully, like she had finally woken from one long nightmare.
But on the other side of the ocean, in the top-floor office of Renner Corporation, things were far from peaceful.
Charles Renner sat behind his desk with a report Mr. Shaw had just finished compiling spread out in front of him.
Every asset under Laura Evans's name had been cut off from Renner Corporation's authorized accounts, the trustee of her trust fund had been changed to Laura herself, her properties were listed for sale, and her funds were being moved into an offshore account.
Mr. Shaw stood in front of the desk, carefully watching Charles's expression.
Charles was twenty-eight, the head of Renner Corporation, and the youngest business titan in the industry.
His features were striking, his brow sharp and defined, and when his lips pressed together, he made people nervous without raising his voice.
At the moment, his face revealed nothing, but in those dark eyes was an emotion Mr. Shaw had never seen before.
It wasn't anger.
He had seen plenty of that.
It was something complicated and unreadable, like confusion mixed with loss.
"When did she board the plane?" Charles finally asked, his voice rough.
"At 7:50 this morning, Harbor City Airlines," Mr. Shaw replied. "She landed a little after noon and is currently staying near Dragon District."
"An apartment?" Charles frowned slightly. "What kind of apartment?"
"A short-term rental. Less than three thousand Harbor City dollars a month. She flew economy, rented an ordinary apartment, and bought the kind of coffee from a convenience store."
Charles lightly tapped the desk twice with his fingers.
He remembered that Laura used to fly first class and only go to upscale cafes. Her standards for comfort had once been almost demanding.
Back then, he thought she was high-maintenance, wasteful, and too flashy.
Now that she was suddenly flying economy and living modestly, it felt wrong instead.
"Has she contacted anyone?" Charles asked.
"Only a friend named Susan Lane. Also, Ms. Sinclair said Miss Evans's... attitude was a little strange."
"Strange?"
"Ms. Sinclair said Miss Evans seems like a different person. The way she talks, her tone, even her word choice."
Charles was silent for a long time.
He thought of Laura.
The light in her eyes, the way she tried to please him, the way she forced a smile and said, "It's okay," even after his cold words hurt her.
He had always found that version of Laura annoying, clingy, and lacking any sense of self.
But now that she had vanished from his world altogether, he realized she might have been the only person who had ever truly cared about him.