Chapter 127
Blake’s POV
I examined the necklace In my hands. Elegant craftsmanship with gemstones that caught the f just right. But what really grabbed my attention was the woman standing in front of me, face hidden behind a surgical mask and baseball cap.
Something about her tugged at my memory.
She hadn’t said much since I arrived, just quietly helping Laurel and Thalia with their jewelry. But when she spoke – her speech pattern, the way she formed sentences it reminded me of someone.
Her eyes visible above the mask, her slender build, how her hands moved as she reached for the necklace… it all felt like Audrey.
That couldn’t be right. Audrey always wore her hair long. She was almost obsessive about it. Just yesterday at our divorce, she’d pulled it back in that confident high ponytail she favored.
I remembered something from the months I was trapped in my body, conscious but unable to respond. Audrey sitting beside me, thinking I couldn’t hear.
Ill never cut my hair,” she’d whispered. “My friend always said I look best with long hair. She told me never to cut it… and even though she’s gone now, I’ll keep it this way. I wouldn’t want to disappoint her.”
Looking at this short–haired woman, I dismissed the thought. Audrey wouldn’t break that promise, especially not within a day of our divorce.
“Blake darling?”
Laurel’s voice interrupted my thoughts. She slipped her hand around my arm. “What’s on your
mind?”
I noticed the masked woman still extending her hand, waiting for me to return the necklace. I studied her again, my suspicion growing.
“Seriously, have we met before?” I asked directly.
She hesitated. Even with most of her face covered, I could tell she was uncomfortable. Just as she was about to answer, a male voice sounded.
“Audrey!”
Audrey’s POV
My heart sank when James called my name. So close to getting through the day unnoticed.
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Chapter 127
James rushed over concern written all over his face. He pulled me behind him, shielding shoul the Parkers.
“Mr. Parker,” he said coldly, “Audrey has already divorced you. Why are you at this photoshoot harassing her?”
The room went silent. I closed my eyes briefly, accepting my cover was blown.
“She’s Audrey
Sinclair?‘ Thalia’s voice rose in disbelief.
James froze, finally noticing my disguise. He turned to me, confused about why I was hiding.
I met his gaze, letting him see my resignation. After enduring Laurel and Thalia’s demands and petty comments all day, I’d nearly escaped when Blake showed up. Now James had exposed me, though he meant well.
“So the jewelry assistant helping us all day was… Miss Sinclair?” Laurel’s voice was genuinely surprised. She glanced between me and Blake, whose face had hardened. “No wonder you thought
she seemed familiar.”
Blake stared at me while Laurel clung to his arm. His intense gaze made my skin tingle.
“What happened to your hair?” he asked quietly. “You said you’d never cut it. For your friend’s sake.”
I sighed and removed my cap and mask. No point hiding anymore. My newly cropped hair framed my
face, now thinner and more angular from recent weight loss.
“She didn’t come back to see me once in four years,” I said. “I got tired of waiting.”
As I mentioned “four years“, I noticed Laurel’s reaction from the corner of my eye. Her fingers tightened on Blake’s arm, her face paled before she quickly recovered.
“Miss Sinclair’s short hair looks pretty,” she said with a practiced smile, changing the subject.
-Blake kept staring, the expressions in his eyes unreadable.
“I knew it!” Thalia jumped in. “That’s why she hurt Laurel when taking off the necklace. She wanted
revenge!”
I looked at Thalia calmly despite/her accusation. “Should I repeat myself? Miss Rose moved suddenly while I was unfastening her necklace. That caused the tension. I’ve already apologized.”
I walked past James straight to Blake and took the necklace from him.
“I’ve been helping both ladies all day,” I said. “I’ve handled jewelry around their necks, ears, wrists. If I wanted revenge, they wouldn’t be standing here unharmed.”
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Chapter 127
I turned away and carefully put the necklace in its case. “James, let’s go.”
James snapped out of his confusion. “Right.”
Before we left, he faced Blake and Laurel, his expression hard. “If I’d known you two would be at today’s shoot, I never would have let Audrey come here!”
Blake’s POV
James stood protectively next to Audrey, practically radiating possessiveness. The sight irritated me
for reasons I didn’t want to examine,
“Last I checked, Original Studio was run by George Mel,” I said casually. “Since when do you decide staff assignments?”
James’s face darkened. His hands balled into fists at his sides.
“The studio isn’t mine,” he admitted. “But as a senior employee, I cari protect new colleagues from
harassment.”
I laughed softly and pulled out my phone, dialing while maintaining eye contact with him.
“Blake Parker here,” I said when the call connected. “I have a business proposition for Original
l jewelry for Laurel Rose and Thalia Parker’s public appearances all comA TUZ
from
your team.” I paused. “One condition – your new assistant, Audrey Sinclair, must personally handle all appointments. Otherwise, no deal.”
I ended the call and gave James a dismissive look. “Think George will agree?”
James trembled with anger. “You” he started, but couldn’t finish.
“I’ll ask George for a raise,” Audrey cut in smoothly, betraying none of the tension visible in her shoulders. “Thanks for the exposure opportunity, Mr. Parker.”
She grabbed James’s arm. “Let’s go.”
James shot me one last glare before following her out, jaw clenched tight.
“Audrey, you got nothing in the divorce,” James’s voice carried as they walked away. “Why is he still targeting you?”
“I’m calling George as soon as we get back to cancel this,” he continued. “We could find jobs at another studio, away from them…
Audrey didn’t respond to his complaints, maintaining her silence as they left.
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Chapter 127
I watched her go, struck by how different she looked. During our marriage, Audrey had been the perfect Parker wife–long hair styled just so, designer dresses carefully chosen, every mannerism polished.
This new Audrey with casual clothes and short hair looked sharper, more intelligent, more authentic. She was more striking now than when playing my perfect wife.
But seeing James Collins beside her just made me feel angry.
“Well, well,” Thalia said, breaking into my thoughts. “Barely divorced and already hanging around that college friend.”
She crossed her arms smugly. “Weren’t there rumors about them before the divorce? Maybe that baby she lost was actually his-
“Thalia!” I snapped, my voice harsher than intended.
Thalia’s mouth shut, her expression sullen but quiet.
“I never imagined Miss Sinclair would end up a jewelry assistant after divorcing you,” Laurel said once Audrey and James disappeared. “Relying on old connections…”
She looked up at me with concern. “But Blake darling, are you sure you want Thalia and me wearing pieces from that unknown studio? I worry-
“Don’t worry about it,” I cut her off. “They’re a studio with exceptional design sensibilities.”
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