Blake’s POV
My grandfather’s words hung in the air. The hospital room went dead silent. His face was flushed, knuckles white around fat walking stick.
I stared at him, my jaw clenched. Audrey had been pushing my limits for weeks now, She’d terminated her pregnancy without telling me. She kept defining my relationship with Laurel however she wanted. She announced our divorce to everyone, then bailed on the courthouse appointment. Now she was hanging around other men, including that young man at the hospital.
I’d tolerated it all. Hell, I was even planning her birthday party next week. I booked the venue and the cake. And what did I get? She posted our matrage certificate online with a whole essay trashing Laurel and me. Yet here was my grandfather claiming I owed her?
William, Blake doesn’t owe me anything.”
Audrey’s voice was softer than I expected. She sat straight in her chair despite looking exhausted.
‘I’ve always felt we were parting peacefully,” she continued, then turned to me. “Mr. Parker, I don’t know what’s happening with these photos, but this wasn’t
- me.
Something about her expression made me pause.
“However,” she added, ‘since the photos were taken in my apartment, I’ll help figure out who did this.
Her eyes were clear and direct. No shifty gaze, no nervous fidgeting. The anger in my chest started to ease. Maybe she was telling the truth.
“You- My phone rang, cutting me off. Laurel’s name lit up the screen.
“Sorry,” I said, mostly to my grandfather. ‘I need to take this.”
I stepped into the hallway, bringing the phone to my ear.
“Laurel, how are you doing there?” My voice automatically softened.
All I heard were broken sobs.
“Okay, don’t cry, I’ll be right there…” I promised, already heading toward the elevator.
Audrey’s POV
Blake’s footsteps faded down the hallway. I could still hear fragments of his voice – that gentle tone he never used with me anymore.
William sighed, looking suddenly older under the harsh hospital lights.
“Audrey,” he said quietly. “That photo… you really didn’t take it?”
Hearing this, I understood William wasn’t certain whether I was behind this. But even with his uncertainty, he still stood up for me. That meant more than he knew.
I shook my head. “I don’t know what happened,” I said, my voice catching. “My phone was broken. I spent all afternoon downtown trying to get it fixed. If Blake hadn’t grabbed me when I got home, I wouldn’t even know about any of this.”
“So whoever posted this snuck into your apartment and took photos on your couch, he reasoned. “Who has keys to your place?‘
I ran through the short list mentally.
William stroked his beard. “Could it be Astrid?”
I thought about it before shaking my head. “Not Astrid.”
1/2
When I miscarried, Astrid wanted to expose everything online, I stopped her. Even with her rich girl temper, once she heard it would cost thei billions, she backed down immediately.
Besides, Astrid would never sneak around. If she wanted to photograph the marriage certificate, she would directly tell me and take it in front at ch wouldn’t sneak into my home to take photos when I wasn’t there.
If not her, then who else has been to your apartment recently? William asked.
I frowned in thought, mentally retracing the past few days. Suddenly, a name surfaced in my mind.
James Collins.
The night I passed out, James entered my apartment to get my medication logs. He left my place a mess
Astrid couldn’t even sort it out the next day.
Could he have found the marriage certificate while digging for my medical records?
I took out my temporary phone, looking at the photos circulating online. Sure enough, They were taken at night the shadows and lamp reflections on the certificate proved it.
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