Faced with everyone blaming her for her abrupt departure, Lauren responded with a calm smile, "Actually, leaving was a spontaneous decision. I just wanted to be carefree and wander for a while."

She laughed. "So I truly followed my heart. I had no plans. I just wanted to get out there and see the world. I told no one, not even Chlo."

Though she spoke lightly, only I knew what she was thinking when she left.

I was convinced that her mindset at the time was one of living or dying based on her o