My response threw Lauren off guard. She couldn't quite grasp what I was getting at.

"What do you mean?" She tilted her head to look at me. Perhaps my despondent expression had slowed her train of thought.

"If we had met the right person at the right time, we wouldn't face these complications. You, me, and Ivanna. Why didn't we meet the right person at the right time?"

Lauren suddenly understood what I meant. She shrugged, looking resigned.

"If I had realized that Ryan had been with me from t