Chapter 169
Blake’s POV
Audrey’s slap came out of nowhere.
I froze, watching Laurel’s stunned expression. She touched her reddening cheek, eyes wide with shock.
How dare you hit me
A
“Her voice cut through the silence.
Audrey looked down at her coolly. “Didn’t you just say I could hit or scold you? Wasn’t that your invitation?”
Without warning, her hand flew again, landing
nother sharp slap on Laurel’s other cheek.
Laurel stumbled back, falling into my arms with a soft cry. “Blake darling… it hurts so much. Not even my parents have ever hit me like this…”
I instinctively tightened my grip around her shoulders, anger rising as I looked at her reddened face.
“Audrey Sinclair, you’ve gone too far!” I said.
Audrey rubbed her palm, eyes hard above her mask. “Have I? Wasn’t it Miss Rose who invited me to hit her?”
She tilted her head. “Are you satisfied with those slaps, Miss Rose?”
Laurel shook against me. “I didn’t mean it like that. I only meant if I had actually done something wrong…”
“Oh?” Audrey cut in. “So you were just saying empty words, not expecting me to take you up on it?”
“I clearly said if I had done something wrong,” Laurel’s voice quavered. “But I haven’t done anything wrong, yet you slapped me anyway.” She looked up at me. “Blake darling, you have to defend me…”
I studied Audrey, seeing none of the gentleness she’d shown during our marriage.
“You’re twisting her words,” I said. “She was speaking hypothetically. You had no right to strike her.”
“No right?” Audrey laughed, the sound hollow. “So Laurel Rose has done nothing wrong? Is that what you believe?”
She stepped forward. “The online attacks calling me a homewrecker who destroyed your relationship – they weren’t orchestrated by your Parker–Rose Studio?”
“You hired trolls to harass me, exposed my identity, mocked my background of being switched at birth.” Her voice hardened. “And when Ethan Davies exposed your smear campaign, you sent men to kidnap him. Are you denying all this?”
Laurel pressed closer to me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about! None of that has anything to do with me!”
I held her protectively.
All the evidence I’ve gathered only proves Jennifer’s involvement. Nothing conclusively shows Laurel participated in any of this. Besides, with her health condition..
“Even if there’s truth to what you’re saying about the online posts,” I said, “you shouldn’t have resorted to violence. Laurek
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Chapter 169
is a public figure. Those slaps could damage her carcer.”
“After all, she hasn’t physically harmed you.”
Audrey went still. For a moment, she just stared at me.
“She hasn’t physically harmed me?” Her voice dropped to nearly a whisper.
Then she reached up and pulled off her mask.
“Blake Parker, say that again to my face.”
The sight knocked the air from my lungs.
Audrey’s face was a map of fresh bruises and cuts. Her right cheek was swollen purple, a gash ran along her jaw, and her lip was split. Her skin, usually flawless, was mottled with ugly contusions.
I thought she was wearing that cap and mask to be distant and cold, to avoid interacting with us. I never imagined… this is what she was hiding underneath!
“Jesus! Audrey!” Grandfather rose from his seat, moving toward her. “What happened? Who did this? Why didn’t you tell
me?”
Audrey kept her eyes on me. “Ask Miss Rose and Jennifer about that.”
Laurel tensed against me. “Sinclair, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Still playing dumb?” Audrey’s tone turned mocking. “No idea why I look like this?”
I glanced down at Laurel. Something in her expression made my skin crawl – a flicker of knowledge quickly hidden.
Charles stepped forward from his position by the door. “Miss Sinclair, would you like me to call our family doctor?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Audrey replied, never looking away from Laurel. “I’ve already been treated. I’m more interested in getting Miss Rose to admit her role.”
She pulled a small external drive from her bag. “Charles, connect this to the TV. Everyone should see what happened.”
Charles connected the drive, and the screen came to life.
The security footage showed Audrey in what looked like an electronics repair shop. Jennifer entered, and they argued over a phone. Jennifer typed frantically on her phone, and moments later, several men in black suits – identical to those from
NYU – entered the shop.
“What are you waiting for?” Jennifer’s voice came clearly through the speakers. “Get her!”
“Don’t kill her, just beat her up, Miss Rose will protect you all!”
“Remember how many of your friends got hurt last night because of her! Make her pay!”
The men surrounded Audrey, backing her against a wall. One kicked her hard, sending her flying. The attack continued mercilessly as she curled into a protective ball.
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Jennifer yanked something from Audrey’s hand, said something too quiet to hear, then left with the men.
The video ended with Audrey lying motionless on the floor.
Grandfather’s face turned red with fury. “Who gave you the audacity to treat Audrey like this?” he thundered at Jennifer. “You’re nothing but an agent – who gave you such boldness?”
Charles turned to Jennifer. “The agent clearly stated Miss Rose would protect them. Who else could be behind this?”
Grandfather turned to Laurel. “So it was you who told them you’d protect them as long as they didn’t kill Audrey. Is that
right?”
Laurel shrank against me. “I had no idea Jennifer would do this. I never told her to hurt anyone…”
n!
She looked up at me. “Blake darling, you know me. Would I ever do something like this? You know what kind of person
am…”
I frowned as I studied her profile, her eyes filled with tears.
I can’t stand seeing her cry.
Five years ago, Laurel missed a day caring for me when I was blind. Rachel told me she’d been crying somewhere after being hurt at school. I swore once I could see again, I’d never let her face hardship or tears.
Laurel and Audrey couldn’t be more different. Audrey never sheds tears naturally, while Laurel cries no matter how I try to prevent it.
With this thought, I met Audrey’s gaze with a cold stare. “She’s been with me. She couldn’t have ordered this… If you want justice, go after Jennifer, not Laurel.”
Looking back at Laurel, I softened my tone. “Don’t cry. If you truly had nothing to do with this, I’ll make sure Audrey apologizes for those slaps.”
Laurel nodded, sniffling. “Thank you for believing in me.”
She turned to Audrey, wiping her tears. “I’m sorry about what Jennifer did. But I never told her to hurt you or protect anyone.”
Audrey’s laugh was cold and sharp. “Really? Then what about the next part of the surveillance footage?”
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