CHAPTER 4: AT ALL COST

There is only so much you can know of anyone, Lauretta thought bitterly. For the longest time, she saw George as someone with whom she would build a future. But the moment she stepped into the house, she realized far too late that George and his family were really a different breed of people. But now, she finally had freedom. She was totally done with their drama. Bags in hand, she made her way to leave again, but Katrina called her back once more. Lauretta watched as She walked a few distances to the Centre of the room. "I would never admit something I didn't actually do! Why won't you believe me? Do you think just because I supposedly destroyed your marriage, you want revenge against me? But I've barely shown my face around you two all these years. I'm only back now to film a movie. Why must you target me like this?" Katrina still had a look of sly innocence as she looked at everyone in the room except her, whom she was talking to. Katrina must think she is a fool to still be in the dark about her cheating ex-husband's affair. It pisses Lauretta off to still be having this conversation when all she wanted was to leave this highly dysfunctional family and piece her life back together again. She looked around the room, feeling caged. What more could they want from her? She wished she had really exposed the Lawson family. George's mom snarled at her, and George? He had a look of complete fury as he spat. "If you didn't pull this stunt, who could have? No one else would be so malicious towards Katarina besides you!" He accused, His anger glaring in his stiff body posture. Lauretta sighed, beyond exhausted. She turned to Katarina instead. "Since you're so convinced the culprit is me, where's your proof? Otherwise, I could sue you for slander." This was the height of it. Lauretta felt ready to deal with this once and for all. All eyes swung to Katarina. Even her mother-in-law felt the first prickles of doubt. She wasn't the sharpest tool. A few well-aimed words could easily turn her loyalties. They must be thinking why Katarina is so interested. The drama scandal meant nothing to her; Lauretta did raise a valid point - who would gamble with their own life so casually just for revenge? Tears brimmed in Katarina's eyes as she realized she was losing ground. Her only lifeline was George - the final authority in this family. As long as he stood firm in her corner, nothing else mattered. Ever the conniving fox. Lauretta could see through her facade. She folded her arms akimbo as she watched their interaction in the brightly lit room. It never fails to amaze me. "You...you believe me too, don't you? We've known each other for so long and were near family once. You saw me work myself to the bone all these years. How could you think I'm capable of something like this?" Katarina pleaded desperately. "I see we are taking that route" Lauretta knew the past still tugged at George's heart, and he would likely fall for her tactics. Past regret still throbbed like an unhealed wound in George's heart. His lingering affection for Katarina stemmed not so much from longing but an inability to get over what happened between them. And so, he indulged her as Lauretta had anticipated. He was truly a shameless man. "I know you couldn't be responsible for this mess. But to resolve it, we need hard proof of your innocence that day. Do you recall what you were doing then?" George asked in a more rational tone. Coming up with such exonerating evidence wasn't necessarily straightforward, though. At his lukewarm defense, Katarina burst into tears. "So, you still doubt me after all! Just because Lauretta said something, now you believe her over me? Fine - you want proof; I'll die right here to prove myself if that's what it takes for you to believe me!" Her hysterical threat made George frown in disbelief. How could anyone treat their own life as a joke? Just as he opened his mouth to retort, Katarina suddenly lunged straight for the sharp stone corner cabinet. At that speed, a head collision would undoubtedly be fatal. Which was what she was heading for. George's face was drained of color. Even his mother screamed out in horror. Only Lauretta remained unmoved, having expected this histrionic reaction from Katarina. That woman valued her skin far too much to actually harm herself - as proven by her earlier refusal to swear any oaths on her life. In a few quick strides, George seized Katarina's wrist, though not before her head still cracked against the cabinet edge. Fortunately, his grip prevented full impact. Blood streamed down her face from the torn gash. Katarina trembled uncontrollably, clearly terrified at her near brush with death. If George had been just a second late... "Katarina, are you alright? How could you be so foolish?" George held her in a crushing embrace, sick with panic. Voice quivering, Katarina murmured, "Now you must believe me...right?" Her expression never shifted as she earnestly awaited his reaction. How could George not believe in her innocence when she had resorted to such extremes just to prove herself? He nodded vigorously. Observing their performance. Lauretta barely resisted the urge to clap slowly and sarcastically. What a performance, indeed! But the show was over, and her role in it long ended. No need to overstay her welcome. Except the players here seemed intent on detaining her a while longer for further torment. Each time Lauretta moved to leave, someone would call her back. "I said, stay where you are!" George bellowed. The command tested the last shreds of Lauretta's patience. Biting back a scathing retort, she asked flatly, "What more do you want?" "You've pushed her to such desperate lengths. Don't you have anything to say or do about it?" George accused. This was totally the height of it. Lauretta's eyebrows shot up incredulously. "Pushed her? Have you lost your mind? Anyone can see I had nothing to do with that unhinged stunt. Did I make her try to smash her own skull open? She chose that herself. So how is her botched suicide attempt suddenly my fault? If she had succeeded, would you call me a murderer next?" "I’m saying this one last time - go get your head examined by a doctor since it's clearly not working right. As for your claims that I harmed her, where's your proof? If you have none, then at most I'll do my civic duty and call an ambulance." That was the full extent of what Lauretta would contribute to this three-ring circus sideshow. She took out her phone as if to dial emergency services while George and his mother looked on. "It's an hour's drive to the nearest hospital. By the time any doctor finally gets here after two hours total, she could already be dead!" George argued frantically. l as if it were her business. But Lauretta has a conscience.