Chapter 11: Don’t You Love Me Anymore?
Audrey’s Pov
His hands were rough, demanding, tearing at my clothes with a violonce I’d never
from him before. The expensive silk of my dress ripped beneath his fingers. In that moment, as his grip moved ower, something inside me finally shattered.
i
Blake Parker!” The scream tore from my throat, raw and desperate. tave you forgotten I just miscarried ten days ago!?
My voice echoed in the soundproofed VIP lounge of The Underground, bouncing off the floor–to–ceiling windows. The city lights blurred through my tears.
f you want me dead, just kill me directly,” 1 choked out. “Don’t humiliate me like t
“If you
me
For three years of marriage, I’d believed that even if Blake didn’t love me, he was at least a decent husband. Cold, perhaps. Distant, certainly. But never cruel. Never this… monster who would try to forge himself on me just days after I lost our child.
The irony was bitter- he thought I was trying to seduce him, when all I wanted was to walk away with whatever dignity I had left.
His hands froze. In the Him lighting, I could see the moment awareness crept back into his eyes, replacing the dark possessiveness that had scared me more than I wanted to admit. He stepped back as if burned, his breath coming in harsh pants.
“I apologize.” His voice w
voice was rough, controlled again but barely.
I pushed myself up from where he’d pinned me against the wall, my legs shaking. My fingers found the torn strap of my dress, trying to hold the fabric together. Each breath sent sharp pains through my abdomen a reminder of everything I’d lost.
“Don’t apologize.” My voice came out steadier than I expected. “Just sign the divorce papers.”
The city sprawled beneath us, a sea of lights that seemed to mock the darkness in this room. How many times had we stood in places like this him the powerful CEO, me his secret wife? How many times had I convinced myself that his indifference was better than nothing?
“I’m not trying to get your attention, I continued, meeting his gaze directly. “And I’m not competing with Miss Rose.”
His expression changed at the mention of Laurel. Of course it did. It always had, even before she came back from Europe.
of your coma, and married you. That was selfish of me. Now
You were right before. The words tasted like ash. “I took advantage of your coma, that Laurel’s back, I’m setting you free. And myself too.”
He let out a harsh laugh. “When I wanted a divorce before, you refused no matter what. What changed?”
I’m dying. The words pressed against my teeth, but I swallowed them back. He didn’t need to know. Not now. Not ever.
“I refused because I loved you…”
“And now?” His voice dropped, dangerous again. “Don’t you love me anymore?”
“That’s not important.” I was surprisingly calm. “What matters is I want a divorce now.”
He reached into his pocket – probably for the cigarettes he always carried but rarely smoked. His hand stilled halfway. Another thing he was trying to quit, another habit he was trying to control.
Remember what’s in three days? The sudden change of topic almost made me stumble.
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13-15 100,
Chapter 11: Don’t You Love Me Anymore?
I searched my memory, pushing past the fog of pain and medication Your Grandfather’s birthday?
her newfound freedom. He id ironically. Grandfather even had Swiss chocolates sent over “I thought Mrs. Parker had forgotten in for you today. He specifically requested your presence at his birthday gala. Yet here you are, doing everything to escape the Parker
family.”
The mention of his Grandfather made my heart ache, Sweet, protective William Parker, who had always treated me like a real granddaughter despite my country upbringing. Who had no idea these would be the last few months he’d have with me.
Ill be there for William’s birthday.” I pulled out my phone, adding to my calendar with hands that only shook slightly. Three months left to live – 1 had to make every moment count.
The d
door burst open before Blake could respond. Ethan Davies, the cancer from earlier, stood there with concern written across his features. His eyes darted between us, taking in my torn dress and Blake’s thunderous expression.
“Miss, are you okay?” Ethan stepped into the room. “He didn’t hurt you?”
Blake’s face darkened. “Mrs. Parker. Since you know you just miscarried, you should be resting at home, not getting intimate with dancers in places like this. That’s disgraceful… and harmful.”
“Watch your
words!” Ethan shot back. “Stop pretending to care about her health – I can see who’s really hurting hert
ly hit E
Ethan. Instead, he
s narrowed. For moment, I thought he might actually I watched Blake’s hands clench into fists, saw his eyes turned on his heel and stormed out, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the windows.
Ethan opened his mouth, clearly ready to say more, but I cut him of
“That’s enough,” I said gently. “Thank you for standing up for me. But you don’t even know my name – there’s no need to make him
angry.
“Actually, I know it, Miss Sinclair,” he said. “Tm Ethan Davies. To be honest, Astrid gave me five hundred to say those things. She wanted to make that arrogant CEO jealous. But seeing how he treats you… I got genuinely angry.”
I could see the affection growing in his eyes, genuine, sweet, but I couldn’t, wouldn’t respond to it. So I just smiled and said, “It’s okay. I appreciate the thought.”
The main bar was quieter when I finally made my way down to meet strid. She was perched on a barstool, watching me with worried eyes.
the maid him fly
five hundred to pretend to
“Ethan’s quite the young, handsome dancer,” I said, sliding onto the stool next to her. “You only paid like a soon–to–be–divorced woman?”
Astrid snorted. “Market rate is two hundred! I paid him double! You should have seen Blake’s face when he left wouldn’t even acknowledge his friend Alex’s greeting.”
Her expression turned serious. “Did he agree
the divorce?”
I traced patterns in the condensation on the bar top. “He wants to wait until after his Grandfather’s birthday.”
“That jerk!” Astrid’s voice rose in indignation. “He’s just making excuses!
She grabbed my hand, her grip tight with concern. “Are you really going to the birthday gala? Rebecca and Thalia will be there. They ve bullied you for years, and they won’t stop now, You just had a miscarriage can your body handle it?”
I thought about William’s birthday. Thought about Rebecca Parker’s side comments and Thalia’s deliberate cruelty. Thought about how many more chances I’d have to see any of them.
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Chapter 11: Don’t You Love Me Anymore?
“I have to go. My voice was Tom. “But things are different now, I used to tolerate Rebecca and Thalia’s behavior because I cared about Blake, because I didn’t want to cause family conflict.”
“This time, I won’t let them walk all over me.”
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