Chapter 45
Audrey & MIV
Inside, Astrid was leaning over the windowsill, gazing out.
I walked over in where Astrid stood and leaned against the window frame, following her gaze outside.
I raised an eyebrow. What are you looking at?
“God, you scared me! Astrid jumped, spinning around to face me. “Since when did you become so quiet?
Outside, an ambulance was slowly pulling away from the hospital, its taillights gradually disappearing into the night. Something about that scene sent an inexplicable chill down my spine.
“That’s Laurel and Blake in there,” Astrid said, her voice tinged with sarcasm. The nurses said Laurel kept insisting she was traumatized, claiming everything hurts – her head, her heart, everything.”
“And?
“Blake immediately arranged for her transfer to Mayo Clinic.” She pursed her lips. “They just left.”
“You know what’s funny?” Astrid couldn’t help but add, shaking her head. “Mayo Clinic is where they treat all the terminal cases and rare diseases.”
“Taking his precious Hollywood princess there…” She gave a cold laugh. Then, nudging my shoulder, she added, “Hey, does Laurel have some terminal illness?”
My heart skipped a beat. Mayo Clinic. Dr. Evans‘ phone call from this afternoon suddenly echoed in my mind – someone wanted to buy my experimental medication, claiming his girlfriend needed it immediately due to emotional trauma. The timing… could Blake be the buyer?
But I quickly dismissed the thought. Despite Laurel’s constant display of fragility, her complexion was rosy, her voice strong and clear. I knew too well what late–stage gastric cancer looked like; that kind of suffering couldn’t be easily faked.
“Audrey?”
I kept staring at the air, lost in thought, until Astrid waved her hand in front of me. “What are you thinking about?”
I snapped out of my daze and turned to give her a faint smile. “Nothing.”
Crouching down to pick up my bag, I asked, “Have you counted how much I won for you at the track today?”
Her eyes instantly brightened. “Of course I did!”
“You made exactly three million, five hundred and forty–eight thousand!” She exclaimed, almost bouncing with excitement. “All these years, I’ve lost about one or two million to those trust fund kids. Finally made it back in one go!”
Wrapping an arm around my shoulders, she steered us toward the exit. “And if Laurel hadn’t pulled that dirty trick, we’d have more than fifty million now!*
I smiled but chose not to dwell on that thought. Instead, I glanced at her sideways. “So what’s the plan? How are we celebrating this win?“”
A mysterious smile played across her face. “Oh, we’re going to… relax a bit!”
Half an hour later, we stood outside a high–end spa in New York. Through the floor–to–ceiling windows, I could see the elegant décor and soft lighting inside.
“I thought when you said relax, we’d end up at The Underground again, I looked at her, surprised.
“Can’t always go clubbing,” Astrid laughed, pushing me through the door. “Besides, you’ve had a long day racing. I hate seeing you exhausted.”
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Chapter 45
didh i have appo
~ could only get two trainee Nalining the rule var hrdinou zmy bar in
manager apologized profily, mading in walking our hel
Do these look the love bitms to you? Lekantined the marka on my neck and arms in the mirror.
Astrid leaned in for a closer look, her expression suddenly serious. “They kind of do. You’ll need to cover these before meeting Blate for the de
affair! Tomorrow. That jerk might hecuse you of having an af
Tiving way, what affair? The words almost slipped out, but I swallowed them back just in time.
It was late when we arrived at a Southern restaurant. Astrid ordered a table full of spicy dishes, the aroma of spicy shrimp and extra hot wings filling the
air
“Eat up, Audrey,‘ she enthusiastically served me. “Didn’t you used to love spicy food? It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
The array of spicy dishes in front of me made me hesitate.
My love for spicy food felt like a lifetime ago. Looking back, maybe that was one of the things that made my cancer spread so quickly.
Back then, spicy food was my escape. Every time Blake’s indifference or his family’s cruelty became too much, I’d find myself here with Astrid. They say spicy food triggers pain receptors – I guess that’s why it worked so well at numbing everything else. A different kind of pain to drown out the emotional one.
But since the diagnosis, spicy food had become just another thing cancer had taken from me.
Astrid must have brought me here thinking I needed comfort after today’s drama. The thought made something in my chest tighten. “Hey… thanks.
“For what?” She kept loading my plate with food. ‘Come on, dig in!” Then, noticing my hesitation, “You okay? You’ve barely touched anything.”
Her concern made my throat tight. I forced down a few bites. “Just not that hungry.”
After a few more mouthfuls, I pulled out my phone, pretending to check a message. “Sorry, need to take this,” I said, already heading for the bathroom.
I barely made it to the stall before the pain hit. Even after getting rid of the spicy food, the burning in my stomach only intensified. I doubled over, one hand pressed against my chest, trying to breathe through the waves of pain.
That’s when voices drifted in from the sink area. “Seriously, Thalia, I thought Laurel was bringing Blake here tonight.”
“God, I feel like such an idiot. I told everyone they’d be here. You should’ve seen the looks I got.”
I pressed my lips together, recognizing Olivia’s voice immediately..
‘She’s in the hospital.” Thalia’s voice carried that particular note of calculated concern that the Parker women had perfected.
‘Hospital? Olivia’s surprise was genuine. “But I just saw her at…”
All thanks to that witch. The venom in Thalia’s voice made it clear exactly who she meant. “Blake took her to the track to unwind, and wouldn’t you know who shows up?”
‘No way…”
‘Oh yes. And get this – she actually had the nerve to race against Laurel. Her! Can you imagine?” A dramatic pause. “Of course she ended up crashing right
into her.”
“That’s horrible! Is she…”
“Just FaceTimed her actually.” I could practically hear Thalia’s dismissive wave. “Nothing serious. Tiny scratch on her forehead.” Then, her voice brightening with obvious pleasure, “Won’t affect next week at all.”
“Next week?”
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Chapter 45
The engagement ceremony? God, Olivia, keep up! Blake’s been planning it forever booked the Four Seasons over a month ago. The rake akoma is like, Insane.”
“Right! I completely forgot they were announcing it next week!” Olivia’s excitement bubbled ever. I mean, everyone knows it’s happening, but still…
“Well, if that woman had ruined it…”
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