Chapter 88
Andrey’s POV
Aty body lifted into the air with unexpected ease. “Don t I warned, arts automatically rapping around his ord
Being pushed down the stairs by Laurel this morning and kicked in the stomach hours ago had left me with enough brutes. If Blake dropped me més, rá ke one giant walking bruise.
When my arms circled his neck, Blake froze. His rhythm faltered, like a skipped heartbear. I looked up and caught him staring at me, the corner of hit notch. twitching upward.
As our eyes met, something turned different. His eyes, usually unreadable, held an expression I’d never seen directed at me before
The corridor buzzed with activity–doctors rushing pasi, nurses with patients, worried family members huddled together. Yet somellow, these sinds Ended away. Just Blake and me, locked in a moment I couldn’t explain.
What are you two doing?”
Laurel’s voice cut through our bubble. A nurse pushed her in a wheelchair, her posture looking fragile. Her tearful eyes moved between us.
“Blake darling, didn’t you say you were just escorting Miss Sinclair to the trauma unit?” Her voice quivered. “You lied to me!
Blake snapped back to reality. His brow furrowed, and he set me down so quickly I almost fell. My legs buckled, and I grabbed the wall railing to steady myself.
“Laurel, don’t cry, it’s my fault,” Blake said, crossing to her in three long strides. He handed her a tissue. “Weren’t you supposed to be resting in your room?”
Laurel hugged Blake’s waist, resting her head against his stomach. Over his back, she caught my eye, triumph flashing across her face before returning to wounded innocence.
“Blake darling, I trusted you so much… If you had just told me you wanted to take Miss Sinclair here, I wouldn’t have objected… Why did you lie to me?”
Her fingers curled into his shirt possessively.
“Have you forgotten what you once told me? That you
would never lie to your good girl…”
Blake sighed. “Laurel, I’m… sorry. I just didn’t want you to worry…”
I leaned against the wall, catching my breath. A bitter laugh nearly escaped my lips.
“Never lie to his good girl…” Blake had said those exact words to me five years ago.
Back then, I was the stranger who found him in that small town, who cared for him when he had no one. During those quiet days, he made promises. He’d never lie to me. Once he recovered, he would find me, repay my kindness, take responsibility.
I waited, day after day, night after night. Then, a year later, I saw him with Laurel Rose, the perfect couple in every gossip column.
I thought he’d forgotten his promises. Now I understood the truth–he hadn’t forgotten his promises, just the ones he made to me. Every word to Laurel, he remembered perfectly. Every promise to her, he kept
The difference between love and its absence.
“Miss Sinclair.”
Laurel’s voice snapped me back. She watched me from her wheelchair, smiling.
“Why did you make Blake hold you like that? Is it because your legs can’t walk anymore?” She stood up smoothly. You should have said something! I’d have given you this wheelchair. Don’t you know you and Blake darling should be keeping your distance now?
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Chapter 88
My knuckles turned white gripping the railing. We were still legally married Shice when did a husband tinygg hén Inovana tahu ment
Laurel Blake cut in
I promised my grandfather I would take care of her, he explained.
Taking care of her means holding her in your arms? Laurel’s voice rose, pulling attention frem everyone nearby. Make dating, you’ve put toe bike hearted. You don’t understand some women’s tactics!
She turned to the growing crowd. “This is a hospital with plenty of staff and wheelchairs. If she’s really hurting, there are professional were to halo why did she need you to carry her?”
People started whispering, looking between us.
“Isn’t that Laurel Rose, the actress who just got back from Europe? And that’s Blake Parker, her boyfriend.”
“I heard he waited three years while she was gone!*
A bitter smile formed on my lips at these words.
Blake’s POV
The whispers grew louder, bolder.
“Sounds like this woman’s trying to steal someone’s boyfriend.”
“Shameless. Going after another woman’s man.”
“Who does she think she is? Just because her legs hurt, does she need someone else’s boyfriend carrying her around? No sense of boundaries.
Hearing these words, I frowned as I rubbed Laurel’s back, trying to calm her, but my eyes kept drifting to Audrey. She stood against the wall, face pale as she listened to the whispers. That bitter smile on her lips made my chest hurt.
These accusations were completely unfair. None of these people knew she was actually my wife, not some random home–wrecker. The irony would be funny if it weren’t so messed up.
I was about to say something when a tall figure pushed through the crowd,
Ethan Davies stepped beside Audrey, positioning himself between her and the onlookers.
“This is a hospital, not a gossip column,” he said firmly. “Your negative energy isn’t helping anyone heal.”
The crowd scattered, grumbling. “Whatever. Just trying to see what’s happening and this guy has to ruin it…”
Ethan turned to Audrey, concern evident. “Miss Sinclair,
you
okay?”
She shook her head with a pale smile. “Thank you.”
‘No need for thanks,” he replied, glancing at her legs. You’re here for those injuries, right?”
Before she could answer, he lifted her into his arms. She looked startled but didn’t resist.
“Miss Sinclair, if your husband would rather console her than help you, that’s his loss! Ethan said loud enough for me to hear. “I can carry yo it all day!”
Audrey’s POV
Panic fluttered in my chest at being carried by someone else. I bit my lip and glanced at Blake. He was staring at us with a complicated expression.
I can do
Chapter 88
The memory of last night’s confrontation between them made me nervous. Blake had been unnecessarily harsh with Ethan, and I wore the young man was inviting more trouble. I was about to pull away when Ethan leaned closer
‘Miss Sinclair, Ive been watching this whole thing and finally got the guts to step in. Please don’t turn me away.
His voice carried a hint of pleading beneath its confidence.
Ethan, you’re being… too impulsive, I said quietly.
He was young and talented with a bright future. Getting involved with me–terminal with only months left–was pointless. He didn’t need this complicatione,
But looking at his earnest face, I took a deep breath and stopped resisting. I pretended to wrap my arms around his neck, careful not to actually touch him. creating just the illusion of closeness.
I turned back to Laurel, who watched us with thinly veiled anger. “Miss Rose, thanks for offering your wheelchair, but I don’t need it. You should keep
A small victory, but I’d take what I could get.
“Ethan, shall we?”
With a bright smile, Ethan nodded and carried me toward the examination room, away from Blake and Laurel and all their drama.
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