Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO

Chapter 435

Audrey's POV

Michael clutched his files, heading for the elevator witha few steps behind.

‘Mrs. Parker, need a ride somewhere?” he asked, pressing the button.

| stopped walking. Michael. After Blake and | divorced, | told you not to callMrs. Parker anymore.”

He turned towith an innocent look.

Is your memory that bad? | don’t remember marrying Blake again,” | said.

Michael shifted his files and scratched his head awkwardly. “Sorry. Force of habit.”

“Really? You calledMrs. Knox before. What happened to that habit?”

The elevator arrived, and we stepped inside. Michael hit the ground floor button.

“Geta car,” | said, leaning against the wall. “I’m going to the detention center.”

Michael raised his eyebrows. “To see Rachel?’

Once the doors closed, | sighed.

“Michael, | know you heard the doctor earlier. You want Blake to recover. | get that, | continued. “But whatever

Blake and | had is over.”

| faced him directly. “So quit with the Mrs. Parker. Don’t try to normalize it or pretend Blake and | are still

together. CallMrs. Knox or Evelyn.”

After a long silence, Michael nodded. ‘Got it. Sorry, Mrs. Knox.”

When we reached the lobby, | patted his shoulder before walking out.

Thirty minutes later, | sat in a sterile visitation room at the detention center.

The door opened, and a guard led Rachel in. Her orange jumpsuit replaced designer clothes, and without

makeup, she looked pale and drawn.

She froze when she saw me.

Rachel stared at the table. ‘Never thought you'd be my first visitor.”

| leaned back casually. “Disappointed?”

‘Just surprised. She finally looked up.

| studied her face. ‘I figured we were friends once. This might be our last chance to talk.”

Rachel's head snapped up. “Friends? What do you mean?”

| tilted my head. “Your situation is partly my fault. | wanted to say goodbye properly.”

“That makes zero sense,” she snapped. “We have no friendship. You're just Audrey’s random twin who showed

up out of nowhere.”

| watched her silently - this woman who taughtto drive, who laughed withover beer, who planned our

jewelry business.

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Chapter 435

“Reminiscing about something?” | asked quietly.

“Why do you care?” She clenched her jaw. “You've got no right to reminisce about anything. You're an outsider.”

| crossed my arms. “The friendship you ruined - now you're acting nostalgic? Who's this act for?”

“You're nothing but Audrey’s DNA match!” Rachel's voice rose. “What gives you the right to judge my feelings

for her?”

| leaned forward. “You look exactly like when | first becyour caretaker. All that anger. Too bad there’s no IV

pole for you to knock over this time.”

Rachel stared, confusion morphing into disbelief. She pushed back so hard her chair scraped loudly, handcuffs

rattling.

“You're... Audrey?” She shook her head. “That's impossible. | checked everything - *

“Of course you couldn't find anything wrong,” | cut in. “You were checking my sister's records. Everything was

real - just not mine.”

Rachel went pale.

‘Remember that movie about twin sisters switching identities? You said anyone who couldn’t recognize their

closest friend didn’t deserve them.”

She bit her lip, shoulders slumping. “Are you... disappointed?”

“That doesn’t begin to cover it.” My voice cout softer than | meant it to. “I really thought we were friends,

Rachel.”

She flinched.

“Remember how | tried helping you at Laurel's party? How I risked everything to protect you? | was ready to

sacrifice everything - even my life.”

| shook my head. “Then | cback as Evelyn and find out it was all one-sided. You were using me.”

“What hurts most is that everyone else figuredout. But you who claimed to knowbest needed it spelled

out.”

“Wait, Rachel looked up suddenly. “Everyone knows? Even Blake knows you're Audrey?”

| nodded. “Since he savedat Long Island.”

‘Long Island?” she repeated hollowly. “He’s known since Long Island?”

The color drained from her face. “That was months ago!”

Rachel’s laugh started low, then grew hysterical. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“That's why he looked at you that way! Why he saved your kid! Why everything changed after meeting you!”

1 sat quietly, watching her break down the smanic energy I'd seen years ago when | first becher

caretaker. Now she was reverting, but this time, | wouldn't help her recover.

Eventually, her laughter faded to soft sobs. When she calmed down, | stood up.

‘Rachel, | cto say goodbye.”

She looked up with red-rimmed eyes.

“Thanks for showingthings I'd never have seen as a country girl,” | picked up my purse. “Even knowing your

intentions weren't real, I'm still grateful.”

| gave her a small smile. ‘But we're done here. Your past kindness cancels out your recent crap. | won't press

charges for the harassment or Emma’s

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Chapter 435

kidnapping. If we ever meet again, we're strangers.”

| stepped toward the door. “I won't visit again. If you can’t get out of prison... we won't be seeing each other

anyway.”

“I might let go of what you did to me,” | added, “but what you did to Blake and Parker Group? That's different.

They won't forgive so easily.”

| opened the door. “Good luck in prison, Rachel. Try not to end up like Laurel, dying behind bars.”

As | pulled the door wider, her chair scraped against the floor.

‘Audrey! Her desperate cry echoed. “Wait!”

| paused without turning around.

Blake still loves you! He still listens to you!” Her voice cracked. “For old times’ sake - can’t you talk to him for

me?”

Her handcuffs rattled. ‘I can’t go to prison!”

| closed my eyes, unmoved by her pleas.

“You can’t abandon me!” She sounded almost childlike. “Audrey!

| walked through the door without looking back, letting it close on her cries.

‘Where to now, ma'am?” the driver asked as | settled into the car.

| gave him William's nursing haddress, then leaned against the window.

“Visiting Mr. William Parker?” The driver glanced atin the mirror. ‘Don’t worry too much. I've driven for the

Parkers half my life. That family’s got luck following them.”

*Take Mr. Parker - how many times has he been at death’s door? Always pulls through somehow.”

He chuckled. “And Mr. Blake Parker - since that incident five years ago, he’s had one injury after another. Any

one would've finished off a regular person.”

“But he always survives! That's destiny!” The driver shook his head. “It’s just a shhis father Leo didn’t have

the sluck.”

‘Leo Parker?” | asked.

“A good man. Had a smooth life until Mr. William Parker arranged his marriage. That was his only setback.”

The driver's voice grew nostalgic. “Right before that cruise ship accident five years ago, he was excited. Told me

he was going to meet someone from his former sweetheart’s family on that ship...”

| leaned forward, my heart suddenly racing. ‘Wait - Leo Parker said he was going to meet someone from his ex-

girlfriend’s family on that ship? The one that

sank?”

DivorceBefore Death Takes Me, CEO