Chapter 150
Cour rares me, Ur
Cool air hit my face as we sprinted across campus. Shouts followed, growing distant as we put space between us. The campus was nearly deserted, our footsteps and breathing the only sounds breaking the silence.
We rounded buildings, zigzagging to throw off our pursuers. Dark figures kept following, determined and unrelenting.
Mv
lungs began to burn. Each breath became harder than the last. The familiar fightness in my chest returned – the one I’d been trying to ignore for months. My vision blurred.
My steps faltered. Blake tugged my hand, but my legs felt like lead.
“Blake,” I gasped, clutching my chest. “I can’t run anymore.”
Blake’s POV
“How long have we been running? You – “I turned, irritated by the delay.
The words died when I saw her face. In the glow of a nearby streetlamp, Audrey’s skin was paper–white, her lips almost blue. She was doubled over, one hand pressed against her chest.
“What’s wrong with you?” I asked, alarm replacing irritation.
She met my eyes, breathing labored. “I can’t run anymore.”
Something wasn’t right. We hadn’t been running that long – not long enough for someone to be this exhausted. I gripped her wrist tighter, feeling her racing pulse.
“Go without me,” she managed between gasps. “They won’t hurt a woman. I’ll be fine,
I – ”
I didn’t let her finish. In one swift motion, I scooped her into my arms. She let out a startled cry, her arms around my neck.
wrapping
She was so light – too light. A chill ran through me as I felt her bones beneath my fingers. How had I not noticed?
A memory surfaced – medical journals, articles on terminal illnesses. Weight loss, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue… symptoms of late–stage cancer.
My heart clenched at the thought.
“Are you sick?” I asked, my voice harsher than intended as I carried her.
Audrey stiffened, her face suddenly guarded. “No, I’m just… out of shape.”
I knew she was lying. The Audrey I married had stamina – she could spend hours at the mansion with my grandfather, playing chess and cooking without showing fatigue. The woman in my arms now could barely run for ten minutes.
“Blake Parker, are you sure you can carry me all this way?” she asked, clearly changing the subject.
I didn’t answer, focusing on putting distance between us and our pursuers. In the moonlight, Audrey’s profile was sharp, her cheekbones too pronounced/her collarbones visible.
1/2
Chapter 150
When did she get so thin?
“You’re sick, aren’t you?” I asked again, quieter.
She hesitated, cyes darting away. “I’m not sick. I’m just tired.”
I wanted to press further, but shouts reminded me we weren’t safe yet. I quickened my pace, heading for the parking lot.
We reached the car without incident. I set Audrey down carefully in the passenger seat, noting her slight wince. After ensuring she was secure, I circled to the driver’s side.
“I’m taking you to the hospital,” I said, starting the engine.
“No!” Audrey’s response was immediate. “I don’t need a hospital. I’m fine.”
I glared at her. “You call this fine? Look at yourself!” I gestured toward the mirror. “You’re white as a sheet!”
Audrey glanced at her reflection and flinched. Even she couldn’t deny the evidence.
“Audrey Sinclair, you’re always so good at taking care of others, but this is how you take care of yourself?”
She looked away, lips pressed into a thin line. I recognized that expression – she was shutting down, retreating behind walls I’d never been able to breach.
I was about to push further when she suddenly tensed, eyes fixed on the side mirror.
“Blake,” she said. “They’re coming after us.”
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