Chapter 6: The Truth Behind The Smile
I stared at the phone.
Lauren’s name continued glowing on the screen.
Claire watched me.
“You don’t have to answer.””
I knew she was right.
But I also knew avoiding the call wouldn’t change anything.
I picked up.
“Hello?””
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then Lauren spoke.
“Maya.””
Her voice sounded different.
No confidence.
No arrogance.
Just exhaustion.
“What do you want?””
“I need to talk to you.””
“I think we already talked.””
“No.””
She paused.
“Not about this.””
My eyes moved toward the files on the table.
Claire looked at me silently.
“This?””
Lauren didn’t answer.
That told me everything.
“How long have you known?””
A long silence.
Then:
“Since yesterday.””
I closed my eyes.
“You found out I saw the documents.””
“Yes.””
“And?””
“And I wanted to explain.””
I almost laughed.
“Explain what? Why you tried to ruin opportunities for me?””
“It wasn’t like that.””
“Then tell me what it was like.””
Nothing.
Not even an excuse.
Finally, Lauren said,
“I was young.””
“So was I.””
“I made mistakes.””
“You made choices.””
Her breathing changed.
“You think I’m a terrible person.””
“I think you spent years convincing yourself that hurting people was harmless.””
“That’s not fair.””
The words came quickly.
Too quickly.
I felt the old Lauren returning.
The woman who always defended herself first.
I looked at the documents again.
“Fair?””
I whispered.
“Do you know how many nights I wondered why I wasn’t good enough?””
Silence.
“Do you know how many times I thought maybe you were right?””
My voice shook.
“I spent years proving I belonged in rooms you were already standing in.””
Lauren finally spoke.
“I didn’t know.””
“No.””
I looked out the window.
“You never looked.””
Another silence.
Then she said something unexpected.
“I was jealous.””
I froze.
“What?””
“You heard me.””
I said nothing.
Lauren continued.
“Everyone thought I had everything. Money. Connections. A perfect future.””
Her voice cracked slightly.
“But you were the only person I knew who worked for everything.””
I didn’t expect that.
Not from her.
“I hated that.””
“Why?””
“Because you were supposed to fail.””
The honesty was painful.
Lauren continued.
“When you succeeded, it made me feel like everything I had wasn’t enough.””
I sat there quietly.
For the first time, I heard the insecurity beneath the cruelty.
But understanding someone didn’t erase what they did.
“Lauren.””
“Yes?””
“I’m sorry you felt that way.””
She went silent.
“But I’m not responsible for the choices you made because of it.””
“I know.””
“No, you didn’t.””
She breathed out.
“But I do now.””
I wanted to believe her.
Part of me did.
Then I remembered the document.
The signature.
The years.
“Who approved that recommendation?””
Lauren didn’t answer.
“Lauren.””
Another pause.
Then she whispered,
“My father.””
I froze.
“What?””
“My father was on the scholarship committee.””
Everything clicked.
The influence.
The approval.
The closed door.
“He changed the decision?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Lauren’s voice became smaller.
“Because he believed you would embarrass me.””
I felt sick.
Not because I was surprised.
Because I wasn’t.
People like Lauren had always cared more about appearances than truth.
“Your father did that?””
“Yes.””
“And you let him?””
“I was seventeen.””
Again.
The same excuse.
But this time, I heard something different.
Regret.
Before I could answer, Lauren said,
“There’s another reason I called.””
“What?””
She hesitated.
Then:
“The person who recommended Pierce & Cole for your account…”
I felt my stomach tighten.
“What about them?””
“They know about the documents.””
I stood.
“Who?””
Lauren whispered a name.
A name that changed everything.
Because it wasn’t a stranger.
It was someone who had been in my company since the beginning.
Someone I trusted.
Someone who had watched me build everything from nothing.
“Maya…”
I barely heard Lauren anymore.
Because the person standing behind my biggest success…
might have been the same person who helped keep me from having one years ago.
And when I returned to the office that afternoon, the first thing I saw on my desk was a handwritten note.
Three words.
*We need to talk.*
May you like
Signed:
Daniel.
