Through out the rest of the day, Clara hadn't been paying attention and all because of one person.
Laura
Clara didn't believe, not even for a second that Laura forget everything that she did to her, but she couldn't prove that she was lying because Laura was a really good actress.
At the end of the day her and Nathaniel went home together but once again, silence, silence was what fulled the car and this time it was kind of uncomfortable.
Clara had been staring out the window absentmindedly while Nathaniel gripped the steering wheel, his jaw tight. He'd been meaning to talk since they left the office, but the right words just wouldn't come.
Finally, he said, "Clara, I need to apologize."
She glanced at him. "For what?"
"For not telling you sooner," he muttered. "Laura's been hired at the company."
Clara gave a small sigh. "I know."
Nathaniel looked at her quickly. "You know?"
"She showed up in the lab today," she said, tone flat. "Dr. Patel introduced her like it was nothing."
Nathaniel frowned. "You didn't mention it."
"I was trying to finish my work," Clara said, rubbing her temple. "Besides, there wasn't much to say. She pretended we'd never met."
"That doesn't make any sense," Nathaniel said. "Her record shouldn't have even passed screening. She studied performing arts, not biochemistry. But the board approved her without any testing."
"Why?"
He gave a short laugh with no humor in it. "Apparently one of the top shareholders requested it. No questions asked."
Again, someone is backing her again but why, what would the person gain it backing Laura up, it will only be a matter of time before they find out Laura is clueless on the job.
"You know she told me something at lunch." Clara said voice low and serious.
Nathaniel looked over. "Weird how?"
"I asked her why she was there," Clara said. "She said to work but when I asked her where else has she worked she fumbled and I asked her why she would deliberately got to a place where the person she threatened twice worked but she looked completely confused. Like she didn't remember it at all."
Nathaniel's head snapped toward her. "She forgot?"
"She said she never went to a cafe," Clara murmured. "And when I mentioned the dinner party, same thing. Blank look. She only remembered university and she somehow knows that she was a bad friend."
Nathaniel pulled into the driveway, frowning deeply. "You're sure she wasn't faking it?"
"I thought she was," Clara said. "But... I don't think so."
He turned off the ignition and leaned back in his seat. "That's impossible. You don't just forget things like that."
"Yeah," she said softly. "Tell me about it."
They got out of the car. The air was cool, still carrying a bit of the city's noise. Nathaniel was about to say something else when a voice called out from the porch.
"Clara!"
Lily was standing there with a takeout bag, smiling.
"Oh," Clara said, remembering. "She said she'd be coming over."
Things had been so hectic she forgot.
As they walked up the path, Lily grinned at Nathaniel, then looked at Clara. "Rough day?"
"You could say that."
Nathaniel opened the door for them, but Clara's next words stopped Lily in her tracks.
"Laura's working at the company now."
Lily blinked. "Excuse me."
"Laura Simmons."
Lily's smile disappeared. "You're kidding."
"I wish," Nathaniel said.
Lily stared at Clara for a long moment. "How the fuck did that happen?"
"That's what we're trying to figure out," Nathaniel muttered.
The three of them stood there for a moment, no one saying anything. Then Lily shook her head and stepped inside.
"Let's eat," she said quietly. "We'll talk after."
Clara followed her in without another word.