Chapter 103: The Grand Plan

Laura Sitting on the couch in Richard’s penthouse, I was mindlessly scrolling through my phone, trying to unwind after a long day. My thoughts kept drifting back to Charlotte. She’d been a shell of herself for days now, zombie-like and dead to the world. It was hard to watch her go through this. I hated seeing her so defeated. I leaned back into the cushions and sighed deeply, tossing my phone aside. Richard glanced over at me from his place in the kitchen, pouring us some wine. He raised an eyebrow, sensing my mood shift. “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” he asked, his voice warm and inviting. I sighed again, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “It’s Charlotte,” I admitted. “She’s... God, she’s just not herself anymore. She’s been so withdrawn. I don’t know what to do, Richard. It’s like she’s become this lifeless version of herself, and nothing I do seems to help.” Richard walked over with two glasses of wine and handed one to me, his expression thoughtful. He