THE FORGOTTEN HEIRESS-Chapter 277: You Are Not Getting Any Younger

At the Holmes’ residence that evening, Lauren angrily stood up from the dinning table.

"Mom, why have you decided to never let me have a moment of peace? Because of your ceaseless nagging, I’ve stayed away from home these past few days."

The heated disagreement had reached its peak, and Lauren, unable to bear the pressure any longer, stormed upstairs.

"You can’t always escape, Lauren. This is what you have to face," Mrs Holmes screamed, her voice finding its way to Lauren’s ear despite the distance between them.

A few minutes later, Lauren emerged from her room with her purse. Ignoring her mother, she stormed to the front door.

"I can’t believe you’re still not married at this age. You’re not getting any younger, you know."

"Look at all your friends; they’re already married with children calling them mother. When will you start planning for your own future and family?" her mother scolded, her words cutting deep.

Lauren clenched her fists, fighting back tears of frustration. "Mom, I need to live my own life on my terms. I can’t be forced into something just because others are doing it."

Seeing the purse in Lauren’s hand, Mrs Holmes yelled,

"And where do you think you are going so late in the night?"

Unable to contain her anger, Lauren snapped, "I’ve had enough of this! I need space." With those words, she flung the front door open, the cool evening air rushing in.

As Lauren stormed out, her mother called after her, "Where are you going?"

"None of your business!" Lauren shot , her voice filled with frustration.

She slammed the door shut, leaving her mother standing in the doorway, still bewildered by the sudden turn of events.

Lauren took brisk steps down the pathway, each footfall echoing her inner turmoil. She needed time to escape the suffocating expectations, the pressure from her mother was becoming overbearing.

Her mother, realizing the gravity of their disagreement this time around, watched from the doorway, torn between concern and the need to let Lauren have her way.

"I think you’ve really angered her this time around," her husband who had just descended the stairs said to his wife.

"Maybe this will push her to do the right thing," she replied as she went back to her seat.

As Lauren disappeared into the night, she didn’t know where to go.

Kathleen’s place was out of the question, she would probably be at the hospital accompanying Shawn.

Nevertheless, she still put a call through, the phone rang for some time but she didn’t pick up.

Talking about the hospital, the image of the doctor she had met earlier that week, flashed in her mind.

He was the only person that has succeeded in moving her heart after all these years.

"But I don’t even have his contact, It would have been nice hanging out with him," she lamented.

She hailed a cab as she had forgotten to pick up her car key which was on her dressing table when she left her room.

"Drive," she ordered soullessly.

"Where to Miss," the cab driver said as he took note of her sad demeanor.

"Anywhere, just drive."

"Alright," the cab driver turned the ignition and drove into the night.

From time to time, the cab driver would cast curious glances at the woman who was seated at the back, apparently lost in thoughts. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

What could have happened to make such a beauty this despondent. Maybe it’s a love issue, he concluded within himself.

After about fifteen minutes of driving aimlessly with no specific destination in mind, Lauren suddenly sported a nightclub as the car made another turn.

"Stop," she told the driver.

"Are you sure Miss? This place doesn’t look like the right place for you to be at this time of the night," he said with concern.

"Just pull over," Lauren repeated.

The driver had no choice but to do as she said.

She stepped out of the car, the chilly night air hitting her face, and handed a wad of dollar bills to the stupefied driver, mumbling a faint "thanks" before heading towards the night club, not bothering about the shocked expression on the driver’s face.

"This is far more than I have made the entire day. Wow!"

The neon lights of the club flickered as Lauren, feeling frustrated and exhausted, trotted into the club

Taking a seat at the bar, she ordered a couple of bottles, hoping to drown her worries in the amber liquid.

As she drank, her eyes wandered around the room, and to her surprise, she spotted a familiar figure at a corner table, nursing a drink.

"Why am I seeing him here? It must be because I’ve already drank too much."

She shook her head and ran a hand over her eyes to clear the haze. When she looked over again, he was still there.

"What is he doing here?"

She checked her memory for his name.

"Yes, Steffan. That was the name Mr Johnson had mentioned."

Lauren hesitated for a moment before deciding to approach him. Fixing a smile on her face, she walked over.

"Doc?" she called out, trying to be heard over the music.

Steffan looked up, failing to recognize the lady standing before him.

Although she looked gorgeous, and not like those leechers that have been pestering him since he arrived there, he had no impression of her in his memory.

Lauren was sure he didn’t remember her.

"We met at the hospital," she hinted,

"Oh," he just said. Probably one of the patients he had attended to.

"You helped me to see my friend whose husband was admitted at the emergency ward a few days back, remember?"

That did ring a bell and it didn’t take long for it to click.

Steffan glanced at her again, "Oh," he mouthed, recognizing her as Kathleen’s friend.

"Hey? What are you doing here?" Lauren asked when she was sure he knew who she was.

Instantly, he drew a veil over his mind. He didn’t want to have anything to do with anyone related to Kathleen.