Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO

Chapter 402

Audrey's POV

‘Everyone says I'm only getting close to William Parker for his money,” Rachel began, her voice cracking

perfectly. “But that’s not true.”

She dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, sniffling. “I only care for him because he’s a sweet old man | respect.”

The crowd around us went quiet. | watched her performance without reacting.

‘He thinks I'm Audrey,” she continued, voice dropping. “It breaks my heart to be someone’s stand-in, but | do it

to make him happy.”

Tears streamed down her face. “Every day, | pretend to want his inheritance. It's our little gwhen | ask for it,

he’ll donate everything to charity instead... exactly what he wants.”

The crowd started whispering.

“Wait, so the livestream was all an act?”

“Damn, this Rachel girl's something else...”

| caught her lips curving slightly before she fixed her sad expression.

‘But | don’t get it, Rachel turned back to me, voice shaking. “Since you showed up in New York, William's health

has tanked.”

She took a deep breath. “The nurses toldhis condition crashed after your visits. What did you say to make an

old man so sick?”

The crowd's whispers grew louder, more accusatory. | felt their eyes on me.

Rachel suddenly dropped to her knees and grabbed my coat.

“Mrs. Knox,” she begged, tears flowing freely. “Blake and | are getting married tomorrow, but after seeing you

this morning, William ended up in the ER.”

Her voice broke. “The doctors barely saved him. His dying wish is to see Blake marry his friend’s daughter -

Audrey.”

She paused, catching herself. “I mean, since Audrey’s gone, he acceptsas her replacement because of his

condition. Blake and | are only getting married to fulfill an old man’s last wish.”

She looked up at me, eyes wide. “Could you please stay away from our wedding? And don’t see William again

until after?”

Her grip tightened on my coat. “I just want him to die without regrets...”

More tears fell. “Please...”

The crowd had grown, their whispers turning sympathetic toward Rachel.

“So she’s been pretending all along to help the old man?”

“That's snext-level kindness, playing along as someone's replacement...”

“Meanwhile this Knox lady shows up and suddenly gramps is in the hospital? Sketchy as hell...”

| stood there, unmoved by her calculated performance. Without warning, | pulled out my phone and dialed.

Rachel's eyes widened slightly, her act faltering.

‘Miss Hayes,” | said coolly, stepping back from her. “Cute story.”

Rachel blinked, confusion crossing her face.

1/3

“What story?” she asked, voice still trembling.

“All of it,” | replied. “Yes, | visited William after coming back to the States, but you know why. Needto remind

you what happened at the hotel this morning when William cto see me?”

Rachel stayed silent, eyes darting between my face and phone.

“As forsupposedly seducing Blake...” | let my words hang as | hit the call button.

The crowd went silent as the phone rang on speaker. When Blake answered, Rachel's face went white.

‘Hello. Mrs. Knox, what's up?” Blake's deep voice cthrough, with background chatter behind him.

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

“Mr. Parker,” | said clearly, turning the camera toward Rachel kneeling on the street. “Your fiancée just stopped

my car in traffic. She’s on her knees beggingto stay away from William and stop seducing you.”

Complete silence followed on the phone, in the street, even the crowd held their breath.

“What?” Blake finally said, voice suddenly sharp.

Rachel stared at the phone in horror.

‘Rachel, Blake's voice cut through the silence, ice-cold. “Didn’t you tellyou were heading hto prep for

tomorrow?”

Rachel’s mouth opened but nothing cout.

“What the hell are you doing instead?” Blake continued. “Blocking the Knoxes’ car in the middle of the street?

Kneeling in public begging Mrs. Knox not to seduce me? This is your wedding prep?”

I...” Rachel managed.

“Rachel, Blake interrupted, sounding tired and disappointed. “I always thought you were different from Laurel.”

He paused. “Tellexactly what you're doing right now.”

Rachel bit her lip, silent.

“Every question you're asking Mrs. Knox,” Blake continued, “I've already answered. | took her to see Grandpa

because she hit Thalia and needed to apologize. Grandpa went to the hotel because he found out Mrs. Knox is

Audrey's biological sister and wanted to meet her and her kid.”

He took a breath. “And that video everyone's obsessing over... there's nothing ‘emotional’ about my look. | just

happened to glance in that direction while talking to Grandpa.”

The crowd started murmuring again, their tone shifting.

“This whole discussion about me, my grandfather, and Mrs. Knox ends now,” Blake declared firmly. “From this

point on, if | hear anyone bringing this stuff up again, neither | nor Parker Group will let it slide!”

He hung up without another word.

The silence after was deafening. Rachel knelt there, face ashen, her performance completely destroyed.

“Hayes,” | said quietly, pocketing my phone. “Sorry, but my husband and | don’t want to continue this street

with you.”

| turned and walked back to the car where Adrian waited. The crowd parted silently.

As our car carefully maneuvered around Rachel, | caught her reflection in the side mirror. Her face had changed

completely - pale and furious, hands clenched into fists.

Rachel's POV

Chapter 402

| stayed kneeling in the street long after their car disappeared. The crowd scattered, their interest fading now

that the show was over.

| stared at the empty space where she'd stood, my nails digging into my palms until | felt skin break.

How dare she? How dare she call Blake directly? This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She should've

stammered excuses, looked guilty, becthe villain. Instead, with one simple call, she flipped everything

around.

My phone rang. | answered without checking.

“Rachel,” my mother’s voice was eerily calm. “Don’t worry, sweetie.”

| couldn't speak, too angry to form words.

“Mom’s taken care of everything, Scarlett continued smoothly. “The little girl has been taken care of.”

My breath caught. “What do you mean?”

Chapter 403

Audrey's POV

“You seem to know Parker pretty well,” Adrian commented, watchingwith those calculating eyes of his.

| kept staring out the window at the New York traffic. “I dated him for years. Anyone who spent that much time

with him would get how he thinks.”

“And why wouldn't he cafter you? Just because he figured out you're actually Audrey?”

| turned from the window with a frown. “Blake wouldn't defend Rachel, and it has zero to do withbeing

Audrey. Like | told you before he never gave a damn about me. Any guilt or feelings were just an act.”

When Adrian still looked skeptical, | added, “He wouldn't back Rachel because she dragged William Parker into

her bullshit.”

‘Blake barely tolerates his mom and sister. If they weren't blood, he’d never speak to them again.”

Adrian nodded slowly.

*But William is different,” | explained. ‘Blake grew up with his grandfather. After his dad died five years ago,

William becthe only family member Blake actually cares about.”

| gestured vaguely. “While Rachel was busy playing Miss Perfect, she painted William as ssenile old man

who's easy to manipulate.”

Adrian leaned back in his seat. Makes sense. Emma’s my closest family now. If someone talked shit about her, I'd

be pissed too.”

‘Exactly. To Blake, William is everything.”

“So why would Rachel miss something that obvious? She supposedly loves the guy.”

| pressed my lips together. “She probably knew but forgot in the moment. She -

My phone rang, Astrid’s nflashing on the screen. My stomach instantly knotted - Astrid never called unless

something was wrong.

“Astrid? What's up?” | answered, tension in my voice.

“Audrey! Emma’s gone!” Her panicked voice hitlike a punch.

My fingers tightened around the phone. “What do you mean gone? How could Emma be gone?”

Adrian’s head snapped toward me. “What happened?”

| quickly put the call on speaker.

‘Emma’s really gone!” Astrid cried, her voice breaking. “When | got to the Four Seasons, she was drawing in the

living room with the bodyguards around. She askedto draw with her.”

‘Later she said she felt cooped up and wanted to go outside. | didn’t want to at first, but she started crying and

saying she wanted to find you guys.”

Astrid took a shaky breath. ‘I was gonna call you, but Emma pointed out your meeting with William was being

livestreamed. She said if | called, everyone would hear.”

Adrian's jaw clenched tight.

“She said you'd definitely be cool withtaking her to the hotel garden...” Astrid’s voice trembled. “It made

sense, so | took her.”

“In the garden, she was playing with the flowers while | sat on a bench. The bodyguards were right there, so |

just looked down to text Henry for a minute...” Her voice cracked. “Then something hit the back of my head and |

blacked out.”

My heart hammered harder with each word.

“When | woke up, the bodyguards were knocked out too, and Emma was gone...” Astrid completely broke down.

“I'm so sorry, Audrey, I'm so sorry, Adrian! | never thought she’d get kidnapped... I'm really sorry!”

‘l already had Henry send people to look, and I called the cops!”

| bit my lip hard and looked at Adrian. “Emma...”

Adrian's face darkened as he hung up. “What good is crying when she’s already missing?”

The car barely moved in Manhattan's lunch traffic. Adrian barked orders on his phone while telling our driver to

hurry, but we were completely stuck.

After a few minutes of not moving, Adrian lost it. He slammed his fist against the door with a bang that made me

jump.

‘Useless!” he snarled at our driver, his usual polish completely gone.

The driver flinched, catching my eye in the mirror. “Mrs. Knox... I'm sorry, but it’s always like this at lunch.

There’s nothing | can -

*Not your fault,” | assured him, seeing how scared he looked. “He's just worried about our daughter.”

I handed him scash. “You should head back.”

We got out and started pushing through the crowded sidewalks toward the hotel. Adrian kept yelling at Henry on

the phone.

“You said your guys would take care of us in New York. This is your idea of taking care?” he snapped. “Your

bodyguards all got knocked out! Are these really professionals?”

His anger built with each step. “Find my daughter. Now!”

He suddenly stopped and turned to me, his eyes cold. “Audrey.”

| snapped out of my worried thoughts. “What?”

“Your friend better pray Emma comes back safe.”

My heart sank as | realized where this was going.

‘Or I'm suing her,” he continued.

| stared at him. “Are you serious?”

‘Damn right | am!” Adrian’s voice rose. “She was on her phone while watching my kid! That’s why Emma got

kidnapped!”

His eyes flashed. “This irresponsible person nearly got my daughter killed - and you still want to be friends with

her?”

He stepped closer. “Don’t forget, you're alive because of Evelyn. Taking care of her daughter is the least you can

do.”

| took a deep breath, trying to stay calm despite wanting to scream at him. “Adrian, we don’t know anything

about Emma right now. Finding her is what

matters.”

| met his glare. “I'm not wasting targuing about who's to blame.”

My heart raced but | kept going, “Getting distracted while watching a kid isn’t a crime. There were bodyguards

there, and she was just texting.”

Adrian’s face remained stone-cold as I continued, “Haven't you ever gotten distracted with Emma when other

people were around?”

| gestured at the street. “And Henry's bodyguards wouldn't get knocked out by srandom person. This was

planned.

My voice hardened. “This could've happened to any of us. Stop blaming everyone else!”

| walked around him toward the hotel. After a moment, | heard him following.

When we reached the Four Seasons, police cars lined the entrance. Astrid stood there, face swollen from crying

as she talked to the officers.

“I really just looked down to answer stexts,” she sobbed. “There were six bodyguards watching, so I didn’t

think anything would happen...”

She wiped her nose. “It’s all my fault...”

Seeing her like that broke my heart. | grabbed Adrian’s arm as he moved toward her. “Don’t.”

Adrian yanked free and stormed over to Astrid. “You call that watching Emma carefully?”

His voice cut like ice. “You don’t even know how many bodyguards were there!”

“I only assigned five bodyguards to Emma, but you say you saw six!”

His eyes narrowed dangerously. “Were you really trying to help us take care of our child?”

In Adrian's car, | leaned back against the leather seat with a slow exhale.

Adrian checked his phone, a cold smile on his lips. “Rachel must be desperate to pull that street stunt.”

He shook his head. “When she stopped us, she probably thought her plan was perfect fixing her image from this

morning’s livestream disaster while painting you as the villain with ssecret agenda in New York.”

He glanced atcuriously. “But she never expected you to call Blake directly. Weren't you worried he'd side

with Rachel and turn on you instead?”

| shook my head. “He wouldn't.”