Page 98 of The Life Experiment
‘Why do this, Saira?’ she demanded. ‘Why torture people?’
‘The purpose of The Life Experiment was never to make you obsess over when you would die, but to make you think about how you wanted to live,’ Saira explained desperately. ‘Our aim was to assess how candidates responded to the news and hopefully help them grow. Make positive changes. Trust themselves. Believe me, Layla, it came from a good place.’
‘Agood place? You think putting me through this hell has helped anything? You think making me lie to everyone I love has been a positive experience?’ Layla closed her eyes as the exhaustion of the last few weeks ploughed into her. The days she had lost, crying in bed over a fate that wasn’t real. The pain in her chest as she carried the enormous burden alone.
‘You told me I was dying, Saira,’ Layla stated acidly.
‘Only to help you face your fears. You weren’t happy, Layla. Your body was telling you what to do, but you didn’t trust yourself enough to listen. We aimed to provide a nudge in the right direction. You were going to find out the truth soon,’ Saira added, as if that made it better. ‘The plan was to tell candidates the true purpose of the experiment when the ten weeks were up, then evaluate the progress they’d made in that time.’
‘Progress?’ Layla spat. ‘My life isn’t better than it was before, Saira. The world feels scarier than ever now. I thought you’d become a friend. I thought you were on my side.’
‘Layla, I am on—’
‘No!’ Layla’s shout made Maya jump. ‘I participated under false pretences. I deserved the truth.’
Saira’s excuses echoed down the line, but Layla was no longer listening. Without another word, she hung up.
Seconds later, her phone lit up with a call from Saira. Layla watched it ring out.
‘Layla,’ Maya said gently, nudging her sister. ‘Layla, it’s okay.’
‘It’s not,’ Layla replied, tears welling in her eyes. ‘I let him go for nothing, Maya. I let him go.’
46Angus
The construction team were already outside the house in Bloomsbury when Angus parked his car. He checked the time. He was ten minutes early, but he supposed Roy, Antonia and Savannah wanted to make a good impression. Renovating the four-storey Victorian property into the first block of Hugo’s House accommodation was a big deal for them all.
Not wanting to keep anyone waiting, Angus left his car. When the trio spotted him, they moved forward in a huddle to greet him.
‘It’s good to meet you in person, Angus,’ Roy said, shaking Angus’s hand. A lifelong tradesman, Roy had a thick South London accent, a patchy head of hair and was in charge of bringing Antonia’s architectural design to life.
Antonia was a friend of Gilly’s who Angus had known for years. He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek before shaking the hand of the woman beside her. Early in their discussions, Antonia supplied Angus with portfolios of interior designers she trusted. The first few were flashy, with sleek lines and marble in every design. Chic aesthetics, but none created the kind of homely feel Angus wanted for Hugo’s House.
Then he opened Savannah’s portfolio. Unafraid of using a rich colour palette and layering soft furnishings, Savannah created homes, not art. Her vision was exactly what Angus wanted.
‘Well, it’s a fine property to work on,’ Savannah said as they all turned towards the entrance.
‘It will be even finer when we’re through with it,’ Angus replied. ‘Come on, let’s head inside.’ Taking out the keys his father had given him earlier, Angus led the trio into the building.
Even though the property belonged to Angus’s family, Antonia led the tour. She’d spent so many hours looking at floor plans, she knew the layout best. ‘This wall will be knocked down to create a reception area. Think light, bright and breezy,’ she said as she led the team through the building’s downstairs apartment. ‘Originally, I wanted to extend further into the back, but that would mean culling a communal space. Angus wants to keep admin spaces small and resident spaces big. That way, Hugo’s House can accommodate as many people as possible.’
‘A vast entrance is great, but its only purpose is for first impressions,’ Angus added. ‘This place needs to offer comfort, community and respite.’
‘Exactly,’ Antonia agreed before steering the group through to the next room.
For the next forty minutes, they worked their way around the building, comparing sketches and sharing ideas. As they assessed each room, Angus saw flashes of Hugo’s House coming to life. The existing apartments would be rejigged. The garden would be landscaped. The building would have new life breathed into it.
Standing in the attic space, Angus allowed himself a moment to acknowledge all he had achieved with the project so far. He was still at the start, but so much had happened already. In no time, Hugo’s House would be inviting guests through its doors. Sure, there were building regulations to adhere to and permissions to apply for and so much paperwork to complete that Angus felt like he was drowning in it, but none of that mattered. The thing Angus had spent his life searching for was in front of him.
‘Is there anything else you wanted to run through, Angus?’ Antonia asked as they completed their inspection.
‘No, I think we’ve covered it all. Feel free to roam about the space, though. We told the tenants we’d be here for a couple of hours, so there’s time if you want to look around again.’
One by one, the team left until the only person in the vast property was Angus.
He moved about the attic, thinking of Layla and how he wanted to share this day with her. Angus wanted to hear her opinions on the plans. He wanted to take her by the hand and lead her through the rooms. He wanted to stop and pull her in for a kiss when the moment called for it.
Leaning against a nearby wall, Angus hung his head. He missed Layla so much. He missed messaging her as soon as he woke up and kissing her soft cheek when they parted at night. He missed the way she frowned when she was reading. He missed the excitement he felt whenever she called or messaged. He missed… everything.
