The Womanizer

Chapter 29: Cold Turkey

**play Cold Turkey by John Lennon when you see (*) for a better read

Trigger Warning: mentions of rape, pedophilia and sexual abuse

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Pacific Palisades- Los Angeles

Lauren awoke with a start, her body aching and her mind foggy. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of early morning light filtering through unfamiliar curtains. She blinked a few times, disoriented, and shifted slightly in the bed. As she turned her head, a sharp pain shot through her neck, and her fingers brushed against a bandage. Confusion mingled with the dull throb of her headache, and she tried to piece together what had happened.

She glanced around the room, recognition slowly dawning on her. This was her ex-girlfriend's bedroom. The luxurious marble walls, the soft sheets of her king-size bed —everything was as she remembered, yet it felt like a lifetime ago since she had been here. It had been only two days. Her heart raced as fragmented memories of the previous night began to surface.

Lauren sat up slowly, the events of the night before hitting her like a tidal wave. She had tried to end it all, the crushing weight of her depression and guilt becoming too much to bear. The memory of standing in his bathroom, staring at her reflection, and then the blur of pain and darkness. She swallowed hard, feeling a lump in her throat. Camila must have found her and saved her.

The sound of footsteps approaching the bedroom jolted him out of her reverie. Camila appeared in the doorway, her expression a mixture of concern and barely suppressed anger. She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, her eyes fixed on Lauren.

"You're awake," She said, her voice flat.

Lauren nodded, feeling a pang of guilt. "Camila, I—"

"Save it," She interrupted, her tone sharp. "I can't believe you tried to do that. I can't believe you tried to do that to me."

"I- I didn't know what else to do," She mumbled, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I'm sorry."

Camila's eyes softened slightly, but her anger was still palpable. "Sorry doesn't cut it, Lauren. Do you have any idea what it was like finding you like that?"

Lauren shook her head, unable to meet her gaze. "No, I don't. And I'm so, so sorry. I didn't think—"

"Clearly," Camila snapped, then sighed, rubbing her temples. "Look, I'm glad you're fine, but this... this is a mess."

Lauren took a deep breath, her mind shifting to another pressing concern. "Camila, I need to call Sydney. She needs to know."

Camila's eyes narrowed, a flicker of something darker crossing her face. "Sydney? You're thinking about her now?"

Panic surged through Lauren. Sydney, the woman carrying her child, the woman she had only just begun to trust after so much turmoil. How could she have been so selfish? She needed to let her know she was okay. "Do you have my phone?" She asked, her voice trembling.

Camila rolled her eyes but walked over to the bedside table and handed her the phone. "You better fix this, Lauren. And figure out what the hell you're going to do with your life."

With shaking hands, Lauren took the phone and dialed Sydney's number. It rang once, twice, and then her voice, frantic and filled with worry, came through the speaker. "Lauren? Where are you? Are you okay?"

Tears welled up in Lauren's eyes as she heard her voice. "Sydney, I'm so sorry. I... I have to tell you something." She took a deep breath, bracing herself. "I tried to kill myself yesterday. I'm fine right now, but... I just thought you should know."