Chapter 84
Audrey’s POV
I stared at Laurels triumphont face as she finished declaring how Blake would do anything for her. The oxygen mad by discurând să toat Maces of her supposed less vanished.
ha figured out Blake’s intentions long ago. He was more eager than anyone to finalize our divorce. A month before Laurel retired from Europe fell ar reserved the venue and ordered the cake for his proposal. My heart had contracted briefly when I first learned about his plans, but the pain purekh transformed into tellet.
After all, with his unpredictable temperament, I’d worried he might deliberately delay our divorce out of spite. If he dragged things past or remaining these months, I’d leave this world still carrying the Parker name.
When Laurel spoke those triumphant words, I felt nothing. No pain, no jealousy – just hollow amusement at her desperate need to claim victory in a battle I’d already conceded.
The door swung open, interrupting my thoughts. Blake walked in carrying a basin of warm water, a pink washcloth draped over his arm. He set the basin on Laurel’s bedside table and handed her the washcloth with a gentleness I hadn’t seen in years at least not directed at me.
“Here you go,” he said, his voice unusually soft.
He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead, fingers lingering just a moment too long.
“Thank you, Blake darling!” Laurel’s voice dripped sweetness, her eyes flicking briefly to me.
I watched their performance with detached coldness. Though I’d given up on Blake, seeing my legal husband act so tenderly with another woman still turned my stomach. The contrast between his coldness toward me and this display of affection was almost comical.
I stood up, smoothing down my skirt.
“Mr. Parker,” I said, keeping my voice steady despite my fatigue. “Earlier you said once I finished chatting with Miss Rose, you’d take me home and handle what needs to be done. I’ve stayed as requested and our chat is over.”
I asked directly. “When do you plan to take me home?”
Blake turned, annoyance flickering across his face. He tugged at his tie. “At least wait until Laurel’s cleaned up.”
“So you’ll take me home after Miss Rose finishes washing up?”
Instead of answering me, Blake turned to Laurel. ‘Laurel, what do you think?”
“Of course,” she replied, dabbing at her face with the washcloth. “If Miss Sinclair is in such a hurry, I wouldn’t want to keep her.”
I sat back down while Laurel wiped her face with deliberate slowness. When she finally finished, she fixed me with a sharp stare.
“But Miss Sinclair, before you leave, please delete those unflattering photos you took of me.”
The request caught me off guard. “What photos?”
‘Don’t pretend,” Laurel said, her expression hardening before melting into wounded innocence. “When Blake went to get water, you secretly took photos of me after I’d been crying. I saw you!”
I stared at her, confused. I hadn’t touched my phone since entering the room.
“As friends, I normally wouldn’t mind… But I’m an actress… if those unflattering photos leaked…” She clutched the blanket. “My career… could be ruined.”
Seeing Laurel being on the edge of tears, Blake let out a sigh and stepped toward me, eyes flashing. “Give me your phone.”
I stepped back. “I didn’t take any photos of her.”
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Chapter 84.
“Misa sinclar, please, a Laureis våre cracked fan daraben,
-Mini Rone, don’t rush fee –
Laurel turned away dramatically. “Mies Sinclair, Ith begging you..
After being pushed down stairs and kicked in the stomach, this transparent manipulation was the final draw
Laurel Rose, my patience has limite!!
She turned back, dropping her wounded act. “Aren’t you the one pushing boundaries? Not only do you misunderstand my relationship with Blake dating bon now you want to destroy my career….
I felt my grip on sanity slipping.
This woman was unbelievable. I hadn’t done a single thing she accused me of, yet here she was, twisting reality as she wanted.
Heat rushed to my face. My hands shook with barely contained rage as 1 yanked my phone from my pocket. “You want to play dirty, Laurel? Fine
If she was determined to drag me through the mud, I’d make damn sure Blake saw her true colors. The recording would expose everything.
Before I could unlock the screen, Blake’s hand swooped in and plucked the phone away.
In that instant, everything clicked. The accusation, the tears, the whole performance it was all orchestrated to get my phone. She wasn’t worried about unflattering photos; she wanted to destroy evidence of her own admission.
And like an idiot, I’d handed over exactly what she wanted.
“Give it back!” I lunged toward Blake, fingers grasping at air. “I
I new took
any pictures of her!”
It was useless. Even stretching to my full height, I couldn’t reach my phone as Blake held it overhead, keeping it just beyond my grasp.
Blake’s POV
I kept the phone away from her and typed in my birthday – the password she’d used since day one.
The screen flashed: “Incorrect passcode. Please try again.”
“You changed your password?” I looked at her, genuinely surprised.
“Yes.”
She reached toward me. “Just give it back. I’ll unlock it and delete whatever you want to see.”
I stepped back. “No. Tell me the code and I’ll do it.”
Something changed in her face then. The fight drained out of her like someone had pulled a plug. She couldn’t reach the phone, and I wasn’t budging.
She took a deep breath, shoulders dropping. “Blake Parker, give me back my phone.”
“I didn’t take any photos of Laurel.”
Her tone made me pause. That wasn’t the indignant denial I’d expected, but resignation that sounded almost final.
I glanced at her face. Her eyes seemed hollow/with exhaustion, as if her spirit had been drained away. Dark circles shadowed her gaze, and her skin looked unhealthy pale.
This hesitation bothered me. It was just a password, just some photos. Why did she look so defeated? Was Laurel mistaken about the pho
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Chapter 84
I pushed the thought aside. If Audrey hadn’t taken photos, she would have handed over her phone immediately to prove it.
Laurel’s voice cut through my confusion. “Blake darling, if Miss Sinclair won’t tell you the password, maybe there’s something on her phone she doesn’t ward
you to see.”
“Let me handle it, she added. “I’m a woman, and I have no personal stake in this. I’d be the most appropriate person.”
Her logic seemed sound. Laurel had no reason to go through Audrey’s personal information.
“That makes sense, I agreed, moving toward her with the phone.
“NO!” Audrey shouted, lunging forward with unexpected speed, reaching for the phone.
The sudden movement surprised me. Laurel reached for the device just as Audrey grabbed for it, and in the confusion, Laurel’s hand jerked. The phone slipped from her fingers and dropped directly into the basin of water.
The splash was small but definitive, followed by the distinct sound of electronics shorting out.
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