‘I’m scared someone is out to get me’
Monday 20 February 2012
She put on a brave face last week as she made her way past a police cordon to survey the damage done to her beloved beauty salon after it was “petrol bombed” by thugs.
But Closer can reveal that, behind the scenes, Lauren Goodger, 25, has hit an all-time low following last week’s attack on her shop, Lauren’s Way.
Yobs set it alight and smashed the windows before running off. People living in flats above the shop then had to be evacuated.
Less than 24 hours before the cruel attack, an excited Lauren had been at the store, greeting queuing fans and signing autographs at the official opening.
After meeting fans, she Tweeted: “Ahh just met the sweetest girl. She cried on me. Second girl who has cried on me today. Makes me want to cry! So kind of you glad I inspire you.”
In a separate attack days before, eggs had been thrown at the windows of the salon.
Now sources say Lauren’s been in floods of tears, fearing for her safety and turning to her ex boyfriend, Mark Wright, for support.
A friend says: “Lauren was really shaken by the whole thing. The shop hadn’t even opened for business yet and she can’t help but feel that someone is out to get her. Her self-esteem was already low and this has set her back even further.
“She can’t believe someone might hate her that much. Her friends have tried to reassure her it’s just jealousy, but she’s terrified about what could happen next.”
Lauren said of the attack last week: “I’m devastated that individuals could vandalise my new shop. I didn’t realise there were so many nasty and bitter people out there.”
She added: “I’m just glad that no one was in the shop at the time, as the attack could have been a lot worse.”
Lauren was then left shaken after vile messages were posted on Twitter, with one person saying they wished she had been trapped inside the shop when it was set ablaze.
Last October, TOWIE sisters Sam and Billie Faiers were left badly beaten after being set upon by a gang of girls.
Now sources close to Lauren say she is terrified she could be the victim of a similar anti-TOWIE attack.
Closer revealed last week how her self-esteem has already plummeted because she’s unhappy with her body – and is even considering liposuction on her thighs and tummy.
She is said to blame her weight gain on junk food and booze binges after her break-up with Mark, which has seen her creep up from a size 10 to a 12-14. And she has confessed to pals: “I feel gross.”
However, friends say Mark and Lauren, who dated on and off for 10 years before finally splitting last August, have been stepping up contact recently – with Lauren even hinting to pals they may have spent Valentine’s night together.
A source reveals: “Lauren was acting all coy about who she spent Valentine’s evening with, but did reveal her sexy underwear didn’t go to waste. It’s no coincidence the underwear she bought was red – Mark’s favourite colour.”
The pal adds that following the attack, Lauren’s been leaning on her ex more and more, saying: “The first person she turned to when she heard the news was Mark. He’s worried about her and has advised her to look into beefing up her security – or even hiring a bodyguard.”
By Jess Rogers