Chapter 8

With two days left, Quentin still hadn't come home.

Lauren knew he was going to the ball as Zoe's boyfriend that day.

She didn't ask where he was.

Instead, she hired a few cleaners to go through the house.

More precisely, she had them remove everything that belonged to her.

Towels, toothbrushes, and drinking glasses; clothes, makeup, and jewelry.

She threw away anything of little value and donated the rest to charity.

As the house slowly emptied, Lauren felt herself grow calm.

She would no longer ache for someone who wasn't worth it.

And nothing here would hold her back.

That night, snow began to fall again.

Lauren sat by the fireplace and edited two videos.

The first contained the videos she and Quentin filmed throughout their years together.

The second contained every intimate video of Quentin and Zoe that Zoe sent her.

By the time she finished, dawn had come.

She sent both videos to the advertising manager at Central Square and transferred the payment.

"Hello. Tomorrow, please play these two videos, one after the other, on screens across the city."

On her last day, Lauren opened her eyes and found Quentin beside her.

He kissed her cheek, delight in his voice. "Happy birthday, Lauren!"

Only then did Lauren remember that today was her twenty-sixth birthday.

It was also the day she would disappear from his world for good.

She looked at the redecorated living room and the enormous birthday cake and smiled. She wanted to ask if he ever grew tired of pretending.

He could sleep with Zoe, then hurry home and shower Lauren with affection.

Lauren sat up. "You've been so busy with work lately. Do you have time to spend my birthday with me?"

Quentin stroked her hair and smiled. "Lauren, how can you ask that? You know no one in the world matters more to me than you. It's your birthday. Even if the sky fell, I'd spend today with you."

Would he?

Lauren smiled and said nothing.

Quentin spent the whole day in the kitchen.

He prepared everything himself, from the fruit and drinks to the main courses and desserts.

Then the phone he left on the table rang.

Lauren saw at once that Zoe sent him a message.

It was a mirror selfie in a maid costume, followed by a suggestive line.

"It's a safe day for me. You don't need a condom."

Lauren glanced at it and put the phone back where it was.

At six thirty that evening, twenty dishes were ready on the table.

Quentin beckoned to her. "Come here, sweetheart. Let me celebrate your birthday with you!"

Lauren went over and sat down.

She handed him his phone.

"Your phone kept ringing earlier."

Quentin smiled and said it was nothing.

But when he opened the message and saw what was on the screen, his eyes darkened, and his breathing quickened.

Lauren watched him quietly.

One second, two, three...

After three seconds of silence, he put away his phone and gave her an apologetic look.

"Lauren, I have to take care of something at work. Don't wait for me to eat, all right? I won't be more than two hours."

"Do you think two hours will satisfy you?"

Quentin didn't catch what she said.

He turned back and asked her to repeat it.

Lauren smiled. "Nothing. Go ahead."

[Go to her, Quentin.

[You don't need to know that today is the last day we'll ever spend together.]

At fifteen, Quentin Hale won Lauren Ingram's heart.

At twenty-seven, he would lose her forever.

Lauren waited until his car drove away before she went outside.

Snow lay thick on the ground, and every step was a struggle.

She made her way to the giant screen in Central Square, checked the time on her watch, and sent the manager a message.

"It's time. You can play them now."

At exactly seven, a video began playing on the giant screen.

The first image made people across the square stop and watch.

Lauren watched from a distance.

She held out her hand, and snowflakes settled in her palm, bright and white.

At the same time, the cold mechanical voice sounded on the empty street.

[The spacetime portal is open. Countdown: five, four, three, two, one.]

As the countdown ended, a fierce wind swept up the snow until it filled the street.

Three minutes later, the wind and snow stopped.

The place where Lauren stood was empty...