Laura then became friends with Mandy Richardson (Sarah Jayne Dunn), but then she began to develop an unhealthy obsession with Mandy’s life, which reached its peak when she started dating Luke Morgan (Gary Lucy). After the relationship fizzled out, Laura continued to drive a wedge between Mandy and Luke, and seemed to enjoy the problems Mandy had when Mandy's brother Lewis Richardson (Ben Hull) committed suicide. After Mandy and her mother Helen became estranged, Laura filled the gap and enjoyed being part of the Cunningham family.