Audrey’s POV
I studied Scarlett Rose, seeing her in a completely new light.
Until today, I’d dismissed her as just another bitchy socialite like Rebecca Parker – the kind who looked down on anyone they considered beneath them. But hearing her claim Rachel as her daughter changed everything.
How ridiculous, I thought. This woman who had neglected Rachel her entire life now pretending to grieve.
“Rachel Hayes is still alive,” I said, my voice sharp, “yet here you are, her supposed mother, talking about her belongings like she’s already dead.” I locked eyes with her. “Seems like you’re eager for her to die.”
Scarlett stared at me, frozen. After several seconds, anger flashed across her face.
“How dare you!” she snapped. “I carried Rachel for nine months! I want nothing more than for her to live a long life!”
She jabbed a finger at me. “No mother wishes death on her child. No mother!”
Her words might have been convincing if I hadn’t been there for Rachel. If I hadn’t held her while she cried about how her mother always chose Laurel over her.
As Scarlett’s tirade continued, she suddenly turned vicious.
“Don’t forget you had a miscarriage!” she spat. “Your baby died inside yo Should I say you wanted your child to die? That you made it sick until it became a stillbirth?”
I stood perfectly still, rage building inside me.
“Mrs. Rose,” I said slowly, “Let me remind you of something.”
I kept my voice steady. “My baby became a stillbirth because my health was poor. But I did everything possible to save him. Three injections daily for over a month.”
I swallowed hard. “I couldn’t save him, but I know I tried my best.”
I looked directly into her eyes. “What about you?”
Scarlett flinched.
“Since Rachel became a vegetative patient…” I paused, correcting myself. “No, even before that. Since Laurel was born, have you ever been a real mother to Rachel?”
Every word seemed to physically hurt Scarlett. Her face had gone completely pale.
Before I could continue, Laurel stepped between us.
“Miss Sinclair, direct any complaints at me, not my mother, she said. “Mom’s just upset because I lost my sister’s things
Laurel pulled out my phone. “You have my sister’s phone. It has so many memories of our time together.*
Chapter 205
She held it out. “Let’s exchange them.”
I glanced at the phone, a cold smile forming. “Why should I give it back?”
I grabbed my phone from her hand. “Both phones should belong to me. I won’t leave either with you.”
A strong grip caught my wrist.
“I thought Laurel’s accusations were false,” Blake said coldly, “but you really are keeping something that isn’t yours.”
His eyes narrowed. “Give Rachel’s phone to Laurel.”
I glared up at him. “Why should I?”
“Because she’s Laurel’s sister!” he shot back.
“Sister?” I laughed bitterly. “Do you have any idea what Laurel did to Rachel?”
My voice rose. “She’s not Rachel’s sister – she’s Rachel’s enemy!”
Everything Rachel had suffered at the Rose family’s hands came rushing back. I’d become friends with Rachel precisely because I couldn’t stand seeing her pain.
They were complete opposites: Laurel with her perfect life but cold heart; Rachel struggling but with inner strength. We’d found comfort in each other when we needed it most.
And because of our friendship, I knew exactly how the Roses had treated Rachel all those years.
Blake’s grip tightened on my wrist.
“What do you know about their relationship?” he demanded. “Return the phone to Laurel, and I’ll forget about you pretending to be Rachel. We’ll still work together.”
“In your dreams!” I shot back.
Now I knew the truth – Blake never valued my designs. Since cooperation was out of the question, I had no reason to give Laurel what she wanted.
James touched my sleeve. “The collaboration is important… And this is their family business…”
I yanked free from Blake’s grip.
“If it’s family business, fine,” I said, turning to Scarlett and Laurel.
‘Rachel and I were close. She considered me her sister. Doesn’t that make me family too?”
I looked between them. “You claim Rachel’s phone matters to you. Tell me then, what did you do for her birthdays all those years?”
Color drained from both women’s faces. Their expressions confirmed what Rachel had told me – neither had ever celebrated her birthday properly.
Chapter 205
‘Don’t remember?” I smiled coldly, “I do.”
“Five years ago, Rachel celebrated her birthday with me. I saved money and gave her an action figure model that she’d been wanting for months…”
Blake’s POV
Action figure model? My pupils contracted sharply at the words.
I remembered that gift. According to Rachel, it was a Transformers figure – something most girls wouldn’t be interested in.
She’d mentioned that only her sister knew about her love for Transformers, despite it being unusual for a girl.
I turned to Laurel.
Her eyes showed nothing but confusion.
My suspicions deepened.
“You don’t know, do you?” Audrey asked after a pause, looking at the two pale–faced women.
She smiled mockingly. “What happened to all that mother–daughter love and sisterly affection?”
“Can’t remember something as basic as her birthday or what toys/she liked? Where does this supposed concern for Rachel come from?”
James laughed coldly. “Some people don’t care about their family at all, yet pretend they do just to look good.”
“But genuine relationships can’t be faked.”
“Thanks, James,” Audrey said gratefully.
“Don’t mention it,” he replied, then turned to Laurel and Scarlett. “I’ve seen plenty of disgusting people like this before.”
At the word “disgusting,” Scarlett looked up, face white as paper. She opened her mouth but found no words.
Laurel remained composed. She tilted her head, blinking innocently at Audrey.
“Isn’t it normal that I don’t know what action figures my sister liked?” she asked. “Who says sisters must know all of each
other’s preferences?”
She smiled. “Besides, Rachel is gone. You claim you knew her, but there’s no way to verify that.”
“You’ve had her phone. You could easily have checked what she liked. She recorded everything in her memos.”
“During your disappearance, you probably memorized everything, didn’t you? So of course you seem to know her better
than we do.”
Laurel sighed. “How absurd. A woman who never met Rachel when she was alive claims to be her friend just from reading
memos.”
“Once I get the phone back, I should memorize everything too, so no one can say Rachel and I weren’t close.”
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Chapter 205
She turned to me. “Blake darling, don’t you agree?”
I frowned, turning to Audrey with a cold look.
“Do you really know Rachel Hayes?”
