His Adopted Brother Turned To Be A Girl !

23 Wake up

Laraine’s eyes were closed but her head was pounding making it difficult to go to sleep on the dreadful hospital bed. To distract herself from the headache, Laraine sat up and pulled the switch of the lamp and a bright white light lit up her room. She looked around and noticed the bare white walls, the old television hanging on the front wall, and the two frayed chairs in the corner. Gosh, she thought, could they not buy new chairs. She tried to move around but felt a pain shoot up her arm. Gasping, she quickly pulled the load on her arm and examined it. She was surprised to see a cast on it.

What had happened?

Laraine felt her body looking for more injuries and she frowned further when she felt something on her head. She tried to sit up as best she could fix the pillows with one arm. How had she gotten here? Oh yes!

She remembered falling from the harness during the shoot. She had blanked out then, but she vaguely remembered paramedics. The white walls and strong clinical smell confirmed that they had probably brought her over to the hospital.

Was she here alone? As soon as she thought this, Acton walked into the room, holding a cup of coffee in one hand, and furiously typing away on his phone with the other. He sat down in the seat across from Laurence’s bed all without looking at up her.

Laraine smiled and lightly cleared her throat.

“Oh s**t!” Acton was startled and almost lost the grip on his cup.

“Um sorry,” Laraine sheepishly said while smiling.

“Oh hey! You are awake! How are you feeling?” Acton gushed over Laraine. “Do you need anything?”

“No…no…I’m fine! Thank you. What happened?”

“The doctor said you may have a slight concussion and a broken arm so you need to stay in the hospital for a few days.”

“Ok,” Laraine nodded her head. Surprisingly, she was expecting more injuries considering how high of a distance she fell from.

Laurence looked around the room, “Are you the only one here or is…?” She questioned hoping Andrew was also here.

“Yes, I’m the only one here now.”

Laraine nodded. Of course Andrew would not come to the hospital to see a child that was adopted. Thinking this, she laughed at herself trying to ward off the disappointment of Andrew not visiting her or even calling to check up on her.

“Laurence, this is your contract.” Acton pulled out a thick file with her name written in big bold letters at the front.

Laraine took the contract feeling confused, “Um yes?” Why was he giving it to her?

Acton sighed deeply and looked up at her sadly. “Unfortunately, Andrew has asked to terminate your contract, and he will pay the liquidated damages.”

Laraine was shocked and gaped at Acton. Why did Andrew want to terminate the contract just because she was hurt? God only knew how many times she had been hurt on set when she acted in her previous life. She had much worse injuries then! This was nothing! Laraine was fuming. Laurence had never heard of such a preposterous thing! Leaving a contract just because of a small injury!?

“I’m sorry Laurence. I already talked with Andrew and tried to persuade him, but he would not budge. Perhaps you can talk to him?” Acton asked softly.

Laraine nodded without saying a word.

“Again, I’m sorry for what happened today and that you got hurt. I really hope you can talk to Andrew about the contract.” With that Acton stood up, said goodbye and left the room leaving Laraine all alone.

Laraine felt like she was in a daze. The past few months had all been about the movie. From the moment she woke up to the moment she went to bed at night, she had been working towards shooting the movie. And now just because of one small injury, Andrew was going to take this opportunity away from her!?

For her, this was much bigger than a movie role. This was bringing some sort of semblance of her previous life, of Laraine White, back in her life. This was about having some autonomy and independence back in her life. She had started to feel like her old self – like a strong independent twenty-five-year-old successful female actress, not an eighteen-year-old adopted girl that no one liked or wanted.

Laraine’s eyes started dripping with tears. Her walls, the walls that had held her up, made her strong just... collapsed. The same walls that had held are up as her family plotted to murder her, the walls that had held her up while Nathan betrayed her, the walls that had held are up when she switched lives…moment by moment, they fell away.

Salty drops fell from her chin, drenching her hospital gown. Laraine pressed her arms against her mouth to stifle her cries. She was trembling and she could not stop no matter how hard she tried to clench in her emotions. Was this how her life would be now? Andrew forever dictating her every move as if she were a child?

Laraine looked at the contract and chucked it across the room. It hit the wall with a satisfied ‘clap’ and fell to the ground, some papers coming loose from the binder. If Andrew wanted to pay, then let him! He would not only lose his money but on top of that he would have to pay Acton the damages of canceling a contract.

Laraine sighed tiredly and massaged her head with one hand. Her headache was worse than ever, and her arm had started throbbing as well from the movements.  

Just when she had lied down in her bed, Laraine heard a knock on the door. She hurriedly wiped her face and said, “Come in, please.” 

Hale walked in looking over Laraine worriedly. “How are you feeling Miss Jones?”

“Ughh…like crap!” Laraine groaned. “My head is hurting, and my arm is starting to hurt too!”

“Don’t worry, Miss Jones. I will call the nurse right away! Do you want to eat something as well” Hale asked with a concerned tone.  

Laraine was about to answer, but she heard a woman’s voice outside the room.