​Chapter 3: Pieces of What’s Left

“Get out!” Lauren roared, slamming her fist on the table.

Corinne let out that familiar sharp laugh, the one Lauren had hated since childhood, and it irritated her. "Oh, come on, Lauren. You can’t stay mad forever. You’ll get over it like you always do."

"You slept with Logan," she spat, her voice trembling, her hands clenched into fists so tightly that her nails dug in. "My fiancé. The man I loved and was going to marry."

Corinne rested against the wall, a wide smirk on her face. "Maybe he got bored waiting for you to loosen up. Ever thought about that?"

Lauren’s breath caught as Corinne’s moans suddenly flooded her mind. “You betrayed me, Corinne!” she yelled. “You and Logan, both of you, stabbed me in the back!”

"Betrayed?’’ Corinne didn’t flinch; she closed the distance between them. ‘’God, Lauren, you’re so fucking dramatic. You plan every detail and call it love? Logan wanted passion, someone who truly made him feel alive. Not a control freak like you."

"That’s a lie," Lauren shot back, her voice raw. "You’re jealous. You always hated that I built something real, and all you ever do is tear things down."

Corinne gave a soft, mocking laugh. “Jealous? Please. I took what he offered. He wanted me, Lauren; he begged me to fuck him, and he couldn’t get enough of it.​”

“Get out of my house!” Lauren screamed, pointing at the door. 

The scream tore out of her, and for a second, Corinne actually jumped, but the smile didn’t leave her face.

She snatched her purse off the chair, looked around the apartment, and headed for the door.

Then, she spun around, meeting Lauren's gaze. “You’re pathetic,” she hissed, her tone bitter. “You believe you’re so special, but everyone abandons you. Dad, Logan, ever ask yourself why?”

Lauren froze, her words biting harder than a slap. "Don't you dare bring Dad into this!"

Corinne’s eyes narrowed as her voice became a venomous whisper. “Dad died because of you, Lauren. You caused that heart attack, after you stormed out, fighting over Logan. He loved you so much, and you fucking killed him.”

“That’s not fair,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “You knew he was sick. It wasn’t…”

“It was you,” Corinne hissed, her voice trembling with fury. “You keep pretending you’re the good one, but you’re the one people get hurt around.”

Corinne turned and walked out, slamming the door behind her so hard the picture frames rattled on the wall.

Lauren snatched the glass off the table and threw it as hard as she could at the wall. "You’re wrong!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the empty room. Tears ran down her face, her whole body shaking, as the glass exploded into a hundred pieces.

She dropped to the floor, her hands covering her face, and sobbed until her throat felt raw and her chest ached.

An hour crawled by, and then someone knocked on the door.

She stayed where she was, not moving.

Another knock came, louder this time, rattling her nerves.

“Lauren, it’s me.”

Logan.

Her entire body tensed up as the anger returned with full force.

“Lauren, please open the door,” Logan’s voice came from outside, thick with guilt.

She didn’t move.

“Please, baby, let me explain,” he said again, softer this time.

Lauren snapped the door open so quickly that it nearly slammed into the wall. Her bloodshot eyes and pale face fixed a stern glare on him. "Explain? Do you mean to deceive me again?"

Logan reached for her, but she pulled back, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "Don’t," she snapped. "When did it start?"

He froze, his lips parting without saying a word.

“When, Logan?” she pressed, her voice rising.

He swallowed nervously, avoiding her gaze. “It’s not like that…”

“When?” she screamed, shoving him back.

“A… a year ago,” he said quickly, rubbing the back of his neck as he stared at the floor.

The words hit her hard, leaving her breathless. "A year?" she whispered, stepping closer. "A whole year? You were screwing my sister for a year? And you got engaged to me six months ago? Were you planning to marry me and keep screwing her?"

He reached out to her again, desperation in his voice. "I never stopped loving you, Lauren. You mean everything to me..."

Her hand shot out and struck his face hard before he could finish what he was about to say.

“You are a bastard, Logan!” she roared, stepping back. “Don’t you ever come near me again.”

“Please, just…”

She angrily slammed the door shut in his face and then collapsed to the floor, trembling and crying until she was overwhelmed by exhaustion.

The next morning, she sat on the bed, holding a cold cup of coffee, staring blankly at the wall as her phone rang on the nightstand.

Charlotte Moore.

“Hello, Ms. Moore,” Lauren said as she set down her coffee cup.

“Lauren, dear, I’m so sorry for not calling to check on you sooner. I've been very busy with work. How have you been?"

"Oh... I understand, I’m feeling okay now. I just get a bit dizzy sometimes.”

“Aww, so sorry, dear. Are you back at work?” Charlotte asked gently.

Lauren hesitated. “Not exactly. I, uh… lost my job after the accident.”

“Oh, my!” Charlotte’s voice softened. “It's a good thing I called; Moore Technologies has an opening for a Personal Assistant to the CEO, and interviews are next week. I’ll send you the link. Okay?”

​“Ms. Moore, that’s too much,” Lauren stammered, blinking rapidly as if trying to clear her vision. “I couldn’t…”

“Nonsense. You seem calm, bright, and with a positive attitude, exactly what that man needs. 

“That man?” Lauren frowned, feeling confused.

Charlotte chuckled. “You’ll see soon enough.”

*****

By the time Lauren reached the building for her interview, her confidence had disappeared.

The lobby was filled with more than a hundred professionally dressed people.

“Oh, great,” she muttered, clutching her bag.

A woman beside her leaned in close, "You heard about the boss, right?”

Lauren furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

“They say he’s impossible to work with. He has fired ten assistants this year alone.’’

“What? But it’s only May.” Lauren’s voice was tight with shock,

‘’Exactly. No one lasts. He’s a perfectionist; he hates mistakes, excuses, and people who talk too much.’’

Lauren nearly laughed, but her voice trembled as she asked, “Then why am I here?”

The woman shrugged. “Maybe you’re just as desperate as the rest of us.”

“That’s fair,” Lauren sighed, staring at her shoes.

She nearly gave up and considered going home, but her desperation for a job drove her to push through.

That night, she told herself she wouldn’t get the job. When three days went by without a word, she forgot about it.

Until she got a message a week later.

Moore Technologies: Congratulations, you've been hired.

“No freaking way,” Lauren whispered, staring at her phone with wide, unblinking eyes.

Okay, fine. Maybe life’s giving me a break.

She sank onto the couch, feeling a flicker of hope warm her chest for the first time in weeks.

A new job, a fresh start, maybe even a chance to breathe freely again.

Her thoughts briefly wandered to Logan; her jaw tightened as a strong determination grew inside her. “No more men,” she declared. “Only myself and my work.’’

No more mistakes, starting now...