“My name is not Lauren. You are dealing with the wrong individual, ma’am! There is a woman who looks like Marjorie’s late son’s wife, and she runs into her. During her visit to the cemetery, she pays her respects to the burial of her son; however, her visit is complicated when she discovers the tomb of her daughter-in-law in the vicinity.
For answers, Marjorie consults with Liam, who is the best friend of her son. However, when he begins to behave in a suspicious manner, Marjorie comes up with a strategy to solve the riddle.
My most cherished son… “I’m finally coming to see you, sweetheart,” Marjorie, who was sixty years old at the time, whispered with tears in her eyes while holding the framed photograph of her late son Calvin to her chest.
Marjorie’s every moment was haunted by thoughts of her cherished son, who had passed away in a horrible accident a year earlier. She was deprived of the presence of her only child, and this caused her unhappiness.
As Marjorie prepared to exit at the metro station in the new city, she stood there with a weight of anguish that could not be adequately expressed via words. On that particular day, the grieving mother had driven hundreds of miles by herself to pay her respects at the grave of her son.
At the time of his passing, Calvin was only 27 years old, and his passing has left Marjorie in an unending pit of sadness. The world became more gloomy for her when he passed away, and her health started to deteriorate.
In order to provide her with thorough care and therapy, she was hurried to the hospital. When Marjorie finally made it to the city where Calvin had lived, died, and been laid to rest, it was after twelve painful months that she had spent at the clinic.
Taking a moment to wipe away her tears, Marjorie exited the tube and stepped onto the platform. It was a modest flower kiosk that was tucked away within the busy station that attracted her attention.
Marjorie went to the stand and selected a bouquet of white lilies for her burial after making the decision to purchase flowers for Calvin’s grave.
“Dear, I am grateful! Don’t let the change go!” Taking the flowers, Marjorie flashed a grin to herself.
As she was making her way to the exit, she was prevented from leaving the building by the appearance of a person she had seen before. It was a young woman who had a strong resemblance to Lauren, Marjorie’s daughter-in-law, who had recently lost her husband. Marjorie intended to meet Lauren after the visit to the cemetery.
Marjorie peered very closely, and she was positive that it was Lauren, who was leaving the station in some direction. To take her by surprise, she ran after her in a hurry.
“Lauren! My beloved Lauren… Hold on… Hello, my name is Marjorie!” With a wave with her hand, Marjorie walked as quickly as she could. “What about Lauren? Don’t let go!” With a gasping sound, she touched the woman on the shoulder.
The young lady jerked her head around in surprise. “What about Lauren? Not Lauren, but I am. You are dealing with the wrong individual, ma’am!” She abruptly dismissed Marjorie and shook her hand before leaving the room.
“You’re not Lauren, are you? If so, how? You look exactly like the wife of my son,” Marjorie remarked in a dejected tone.
“I have had enough, ma’am. Not Lauren, but I am. It is time for me to leave…” Before Marjorie could even begin to grasp what had just happened, the woman turned around and disappeared into the crowd.
Marjorie thought that was somewhat peculiar. “My eyes can’t possibly be mistaken. What is her name? This person has the same eyes, hair, and voice.”
“Hey, what’s up? You, Lauren! We need to have a conversation…”
However, the woman was vanished; she was lost in the crowd. When Marjorie finally arrived at the taxi stand outside, she let out a deep sigh and hailed a taxi to take her to the cemetery.
“Does she despise me more than she does?” While Marjorie was relaxing into the backseat, she pondered. “Why is Lauren selecting to avoid me… pretending to be unfamiliar with me? Where did I go wrong?” The experience continued to torment her throughout the train ride.
After pulling up at the cemetery gate, the taxi driver greeted Marjorie with the words, “Ma’am, we’re here,” which jolted her out of her reverie.
Eyes locked on the gate, she stepped out of the building. “Wait here, if you would… I won’t be much longer.” Marjorie walked into the cemetery with flowers in her hand, heaving a sigh of excruciating agony.
In her search for Calvin’s final resting place, she strolled past rows of graves, and the silence that she encountered was unsettling. In the moment that she was kneeling by his grave with the lilies, she was overcome with emotions.
“My little one… My dear Calvin. What’s up, Mama? It’s a pleasure to meet you…” During her sobbing, Marjorie brushed her shaking hands against the tombstone of Calvin. Instantaneously, her eyes turned to a grave next to his, and she was overcome with a sense of incredulity.
She was taken aback by the epitaph that was engraved on the headstone:
As a tribute to the memory of
By Lauren T.
January 8, 1995 — December 3, 2020
Never to be forgotten, always to be treasured.
Do not be disturbed.
“Oh, my word… It’s been a week since Lauren, who was my Calvin’s wife, passed away. How come I wasn’t informed?” The shocked Marjorie let out a gasp.
“If Lauren is dead, who was the woman at the subway?” she thought to herself. This was a question that haunted her.
Marjorie’s train of thinking was disrupted by the sound of leaves being raked somewhere in the vicinity. It ended up being the groundskeeper. She went up to him in the hopes of receiving answers.
“Excuse me,” Marjorie said while rushing toward the man. The man paused and glanced up. “Are you aware of any information regarding the funeral of the woman who was laid to rest there?” She made a gesture toward Lauren’s tomb.
One of the man’s eyebrows was lifted. “Where is the new grave located next to the one that has the large cross?”
“That’s it, that’s it… Do you know what caused her death? What are your thoughts on the funeral?”
The man took a deep breath as he blew a puff of smoke from his cigarette. “Indeed, I am aware of that one… the funeral took place a week ago. It seemed strange.”
“Strange?” Marjorie wore a frown.
“I agree. Surprisingly few people showed up. Only the people working in the funeral service. The casket was brought, it was buried, and then they left after placing a simple headstone on the grave. The funeral was not exactly a suitable one.”
“That’s so peculiar…” Marjorie muttered. “Since then, has anyone paid a visit to her grave?”
“No, ma’am…” he stated, “not that I’ve seen. All day long, I am here. We are close to my cabin. I keep an eye on the graveyard. The grave has not been visited by anyone.”
“Thank you,” Marjorie said as she turned away, her thoughts racing.
With the intention of gaining insight into the circumstances surrounding her daughter-in-law, Marjorie made the decision to pay a visit to Liam, Calvin’s closest friend and business partner, who resided in the city. In the taxi that was waiting for her, she made her way to Liam’s residence after spending some time at Calvin’s cemetery.
Following the ringing of the doorbell by Marjorie, a hushed voice cried out, “Coming… One second!” When she heard Liam’s voice, she stood on the doorstep of his house with apprehension.
As soon as the door opened, Liam was taken aback by the sight of his best friend’s mother smiling at him.
“Mrs. Pierce?” Liam let out a gasp.
With a friendly smile, Marjorie gave a little nod. “Hi there, my dear! I hope all is well with you. As of this morning, I have just arrived in the city… was able to visit Calvin’s tomb. And thought I’d try to surprise you by paying you a visit!”
“I’m doing fine… I’m sorry, but might you kindly come in?” Liam moved over to the side, opened the door with a swing, and motioned for Marjorie to come in. Despite the fact that Liam appeared to be unduly astonished and apprehensive for some reason, Marjorie was able to perceive his anxiety.
She went inside and saw that there was luggage in the living room. She looked across at Liam as she noticed a bag that was only partially packed.
“It is Mrs. Pierce! I am so happy that you came,” he said. “I had just finished packing.”
“Packing? Do you have a destination in mind?” Marjorie asked.
“Uh, yeah… I am relocating to a different state, Mrs. Pierce. The year that has passed since Calvin’s passing has been a difficult one,” Liam said, his expression a peculiar combination of dissatisfaction and concern.
“There is no surviving business… Nothing is left for me to do here. Therefore, I made the decision to sell this house and go to a location that is far away from all of this chaos.”
“Insolvent? What are you trying to say, Liam?” Marjorie lifted an eyebrow. “What exactly is going on? And I was able to see Lauren’s mausoleum just next to Calvin’s burial. I was wholly unaware that she had passed away. I was not informed by anyone. You could have called? That’s the reason I’m here. Where is my daughter-in-law? Please tell me what happened to her. How did she pass away?”
“Well, you are aware of…” Liam spoke, his voice resonating with a sense of dissatisfaction.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Pierce,” I said.
“This is something that I am no longer able to handle. A connection exists between the failure of the company and the passing of Lauren.”
“I am not able to realize…” Marjorie said the words, dreading his response.
“To put it simply, Mrs. Pierce, I did not intend to make you angry. After Calvin’s passing, you were in such a state of profound grief. After then, I learned that you would be hospitalized for a whole year. You have not been informed of anything.”
Liam said, “I was afraid that it might worsen your condition if you learned about the company’s financial crisis and what Lauren did,” which made Marjorie feel even more uneasy.
“Liam, what exactly is it? Tell me, if you please. What act did she take? My curiosity is piqued by everything.”
A big breath was taken by Liam.
“Following Calvin’s passing, Lauren became the new owner of the business. Her refusal to run it was based on the fact that she was completely ignorant about the company. Due to the fact that I was already Calvin’s partner, we came to an agreement that permitted me to take over.”
“To tell you the truth, once he passed away, the company reached an all-time low. At that point, we were on the edge of giving up. At that point, Lauren entered the picture.”
“She suggested that the company seek out investors and obtain loans in order to revitalize the business,” Liam explained.
Despite this, Marjorie expressed her suspicion by saying, “But you said Lauren wanted no part in the business.”
“You are correct, Mrs. Pierce. But our situation seemed hopeless. In order to save the company, we sought to. Therefore, we were in agreement with her suggestion. On the other hand, everything fell apart a week ago. Lauren absconded from the town after withdrawing five million dollars. It was the money from the loan. The search for her was initiated by the authorities.”
Marjorie let out a gasp.
“It’s a miracle! Did Lauren steal the money from the loan?”
She felt a great deal of rage toward her daughter-in-law.
It was difficult to come to terms with the fact that Calvin’s wife had erased everything of his life’s work.
“You are correct, Mrs. Pierce. Her betrayal of us in such a manner was completely unexpected,” Liam continued.
“But she paid the price.”
“What exactly do you mean?” Marjorie began to feel uneasy.
While Liam was pouring coffee into Marjorie’s cup, he disclosed the tragedy that had occurred a week prior and had shaken the community.
“A burned-out automobile that had crashed off a cliff close to the woods was discovered by the police. It was Lauren’s automobile. She was claimed to have passed away in a horrible accident right there and then.”
“What is it? Oh, my God…” Marjorie let out a gasp.
“The vehicle caught fire after the collision. The burnt body of Lauren was found by the police, along with her gold pendant that has the letter ‘L’ inscribed on it. The remains of hundred-dollar bills that had been burned were found. The remainder of the money had been spent… It was determined that the death was the result of an accident.”
“Jesus…”
“All of things were ruined by Lauren. Nevertheless, hold on… what about Calvin’s work? After he passed away, it seems inconceivable that the business would go out of business. I am aware of the amount of effort that he put forth. It had to be possible to find a method to save it.”
“I understand your frustration, Mrs. Pierce,” Liam said.
“The contributions made by Calvin were quite useful. However, the situation quickly became out of hand. As a result of Lauren’s actions, she had to pay a significant price. A respectful funeral service was performed for her. Numerous guests were present. Even her close companions. Everyone was saddened by her untimely passing… in spite of everything she had done.”
“You mean Lauren’s funeral?”
Marjorie’s suspicion increased.
The groundskeeper had mentioned that there was no one there for Lauren’s funeral, she recalled.
Her uncertainty was reinforced by Liam’s anxiousness as well as his unexpected choice to depart the city.
“It is Liam’s flying time. When is it?” Marjorie questioned, trying to break his stillness.
“Early tomorrow morning… six o’clock,” he responded.
Seeing a plan take shape, Marjorie nodded.
“Would it be okay if I stayed here tonight? This is a city that I am not familiar with… be mindful of staying in a motel by oneself.”
Liam paused, meeting her eyes. “Yes, Mrs. Pierce. That is the room reserved for guests… make yourself at home.”
“That’s it! I am really worn out, my dear. I’m going to call it a night. Dear Liam, good night!” Marjorie said as she made her way to the room.
“I’ll see you back in the morning.”
Despite turning out the lights in the guest room, she did not go to sleep.
With bated breath, she waited for Liam’s chamber to get dark, all set to look for hints that would help her piece together the puzzle.
Later on, she sneaked into Liam’s room and discovered that he was sound asleep.
Marjorie let out a deep sigh as she made her way to the living room, where his luggage was waiting.
Her hands were shaking with anxiety and eagerness as she rummaged through his possessions.
Imagine that Liam was putting on a show of sleeping. What if he made a catch of her?
In spite of this, she was resolute in her pursuit of the truth.
The quest she was conducting turned into a nightmare after midnight.
Two counterfeit passports were discovered by her in a concealed container.
“Anna? Is that true? Dear Lauren, who are you trying to fool?”
Marjorie was completely taken aback when she saw a photo of Lauren with a new name.
Upon seeing the second passport, her disbelief increased.
“Mark?”
The photo of Liam under a different name made her face contort in distress.
“Is it a fake passport? How are things going? Are they a part of something that is more significant?”
Then she discovered two plane tickets to London booked under the false identities.
She felt a chill through her body.
There was a nefarious plot being hatched by Liam and Anna — who was actually Lauren.
She had no choice but to take action.
She replaced the bags with great care and hurried to a nearby pharmacy.
“My apologies! Would you be able to provide me with some sleeping pills?” Marjorie asked as she returned to Liam’s home with the tablets.
By 5 a.m., Marjorie was already in the kitchen when Liam came downstairs.
“Liam, happy morning to you! Your breakfast was prepared by me. Enjoy a meal and a seat before you leave!” she said with a warm smile.
“Yours faithfully, Mrs. Pierce. That’s very typical of you…” Liam replied, sitting down as Marjorie hid her nervousness.
“This is your orange juice!” she said, placing the glass on the table.
“Oh… I was in need of this. Ever since last night, my head has been pounding,” Liam said, taking a sip.
“Tastes good…”
Within ten minutes, he let out a yawn.
“It’s strange… All of a sudden, I’m feeling dizzy,” he murmured as Marjorie quietly smiled.
She had slipped sleeping pills into his juice.
“Liam, are you feeling okay? It could be a good idea to take a short nap,” Marjorie said.
Barely able to keep his eyes open, he agreed.
Ten minutes later, he was unconscious on the couch — just as she had planned.
“What is it that is taking her so long? It is currently 5:30…” Marjorie murmured as she waited.
Lauren could not leave without her passport and ticket — Marjorie knew that.
She checked Liam’s phone on the table.
Another phone rang — from his rucksack.
The name Anna flashed on the screen as it rang repeatedly.
Marjorie did not answer.
A message appeared:
“Idiot, how could you have slept in that much?
We missed our flight to London!
Now I’m going to take a taxi to your place.”
“Come on… Lauren, I am waiting for you!” Marjorie whispered from behind the door.
Thirty minutes later, a taxi pulled up.
Marjorie immediately called the police.
“Hello… I am reporting a robbery…”
She gave Liam’s address and all necessary details.
“Ma’am, assistance is on the way,” the dispatcher replied.
The door creaked open and Lauren stepped inside.
Seeing her daughter-in-law alive made Marjorie’s heart race.
“Liam! Is this even possible? Stand up! We are late!” Lauren shouted at the unconscious Liam.
Then she froze at a voice behind her.
“Looking for someone, Lauren?” Marjorie said before striking her with a vase.
Lauren collapsed, unconscious.
As police sirens filled the street, Marjorie rushed outside.
“Officer! Thank God you’re here!” she cried.
“There was a reported burglary,” the officer said.
“Yes, that was me. Please, come inside…” Marjorie said, leading them to the fake passports and tickets.
“Fake passports? We thought she died in a crash last week…” the officer said, stunned.
He turned to her. “And you are?”
“The woman who is her mother-in-law… she was my late son’s wife,” Marjorie said softly.
Liam and Lauren were taken to the hospital, then to the police station for questioning.
“You can no longer conceal yourself, Liam. We have evidence. Where is the five million dollars?” the detective asked.
Liam resisted. “I don’t know anything.”
But Lauren broke first after hearing she might get a lighter sentence.
“We stole the body of a homeless woman. We bribed a morgue worker. We put it in my car with my pendant, poured gasoline, and set it on fire. Then we pushed the car off the cliff…” she confessed.
“And the money?” the detective asked.
“All five million are in our new accounts… We thought we had everything — tickets, accounts, passports. Liam and I thought we’d escape. But…” Lauren broke down and cried into her cuffed hands.
