Chapter 146
Audrey’s POV
I let out a cold scoff.
4
“The IP address that led to Ethan you tracked it. Who else knows about it besides you?” I asked, keeping my voice even.
Blake frowned. “Laurel knows too. Why?”
I took a deep breath. Ethan needed help, and losing my temper wouldn’t solve anything.
“There are men in black suits at Ethan’s dorm,” I explained. “They’re going door–to–door looking for him.”
I watched his face carefully. “Men showing up this late – has to be connected to what he posted
online.”
“I didn’t send anyone after him,” Blake stated flatly.
I lifted my gaze to meet his directly. “If only you and Laurel know who leaked this information…”
“Then either you sent those men, or she did.”
Blake’s face hardened instantly.
“Don’t make accusations like that,” he snapped. “Laurel’s devastated by what happened online. She’s fighting for her life.”
His defense came without hesitation. “She’d never send people after some college kid just for posting
so–called evidence.”
—
He looked down at me with judgment in his eyes. “I get it – you don’t like her. But you don’t need to paint her as the villain.”
This is pointless.
The facts were right in front of us, but nothing I said mattered. My careful explanations only earned me accusations of lying about his precious Laurel.
“Fine. I misunderstood,” I said, suddenly too tired to argue,
“You’re right. I came here to ask you to spare Ethan. I’ll help convince William to approve your engagement to Laurel.”
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I met his eyes. “And I’ll make sure Ethan apologizes online for what he posted.
“Just leave him alone.”
Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked toward the stairs.
Blake seemed caught off guard by my surrender. “Where are you going this late?” he called after me.
“To find Ethan, obviously,” I answered without turning around. “He posted that stuff because of me. Those men are after him because of me. I can’t just leave him hanging.”
I continued down the stairs with determined steps.
Blake caught up quickly and grabbed my wrist.
“You’re going to him?” Disbelief filled his voice. “It’s after ten at night, and you’re heading to a men’s
dorm to play hero?”
“What else should I do?” I glared at his hand on my arm. “Let those men take him?”
The concern I felt was impossible to hide. “He has no connections here. No family in New York. Just
classmates and professors.”
I couldn’t bring myself to voice my worst fears. “He sees me as his big sister. He exposed that smear campaign as a birthday gift to me.”
“How can I abandon him now?”
Blake’s expression darkened. “If he faces consequences, it’s because he didn’t think things through!”
“You’re right, he didn’t,” I agreed, yanking my arm free. “But who hasn’t been young and stupid?”
The words rushed out before I could stop them. “If I’d thought things through three years ago, I
never would have married you!”
I turned and hurried toward the eighth floor, my heart racing.
When I got in trouble at school, Rachel Hayes always bailed me out.
She told me once that if something involved her, she couldn’t just stand by.
Ethan’s in danger because of me! How could I let those men hurt him?
Blake followed, grabbing my wrist again with stubborn determination.
His phone rang before he could speak. He answered while keeping a firm grip on me.
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“Blake darling!” Laurel’s voice came through clearly, thick with tears. “Where did you go?”
“I wanted to look at engagement rings with you online, but Jennifer couldn’t find you anywhere…”
Her voice cracked with emotion. “Are you having regrets about marrying me?”
The change in Blake was instant. The cold, accusatory man from seconds ago melted away.
“Laurel,” he said, his voice gentler than I’d ever heard during our marriage. “I had to step out for a
minute.”
“Pick out rings with Jennifer. Flag any you like, and we’ll try them all when we visit the store.”
“Oh, right!” Laurel’s mood brightened immediately. “We should try them on in person…”
“Blake darling, you’re always so thoughtful!”
While they talked, I struggled against Blake’s grip. Unlike before, he was ready this time, holding me firmly no matter how I twisted.
With no other option, I started prying his fingers off one by one, all while Laurel’s voice filled the
stairwell.
Only women see through other women this clearly.
Her voice that fake sweetness, the deliberately perky tone.
–
It makes my stomach turn.
Yet Blake falls for it completely.
His lips curved slightly. “I need to finish something here. Follow your treatment plan, and I’ll take you ring shopping soon.“”
“Okay!” Laurel chirped with exaggerated cuteness. “I’ll be waiting!”
“Be careful driving back, Blake darling!”
I’d almost freed myself, with just one finger left to pry away.
But Blake wasn’t distracted. While speaking softly into the phone, he suddenly pushed me against the wall, trapping me completely.
ged his grip and
“Ugh – !” I gasped as my back hit the concrete, pain shooting up my spine.
The stairwell’s silence carried my sound clearly through the phone.
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“Blake darling, what was that?” Laurel’s voice sharpened instantly. “Is there a woman with you?”
“No,” Blake replied, giving me a warning glare.
Something cold spread through my chest.
He believes without question that Laurel is sick, but when I suggest she might be behind the men hunting Ethan, I’m “making accusations.”
Now he thinks I deliberately made noise to sabotage his relationship.
Ridiculous.
“Are you sure there’s no woman there?” Laurel persisted. “I swear I heard something…
Blake paused briefly. “Mayo Clinic has stray cats everywhere. They’re all fat the staff feeds them.”
Laurel’s suspicion vanished. “Oh, that makes sense. The nurses love feeding strays… Did a cat meow
when you walked by?”
“I did pass some cats,” Blake said vaguely. “Can’t remember if they made noise.”
Completely convinced, Laurel’s tone turned playful. “Blake darling, look at you! A grown man getting distracted by stray cats while walking at night.”
“Hurry back to the office!”
Blake made a noncommittal sound and ended the call.
Laurel’s POV
I tossed my phone aside, dropping the smile act instantly.
Jennifer scooted closer. “So where’d he go?”
“Company stuff, where else?” I leaned back against my pillows.
I grabbed the ice cream she’d brought and took a bite. “Any news on that college kid?”
“Found his room, but he wasn’t there,” Jennifer said. “Roommate claims he went for water and never
returned.”
“He didn’t slip away, did he?”
“No chance.” Jennifer shook her head. “We’ve got the building surrounded. He’s still in there
somewhere.”
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1
“I want him found by morning. I stabbed my spoon into the ice creant shelys oftend meet the
much in ages.”
“Seriously, Jennifer nodded. Last time you were this mad was four years ago with past slater
I cut her off with a look. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes for a moment.
When I opened them, the rage I’d been holding back surfaced.
1 hurled the ice cream container across the room. “I told you never to mention her again.
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