Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO

Chapter 84

Audrey's POV

| stared at Laurels triumphont face as she finished declaring how Blake would do anything for her. The oxygen

mad by discurand sa toat Maces of her supposed less vanished.

ha figured out Blake's intentions long ago. He was more eager than anyone to finalize our divorce. A month

before Laurel retired from Europe fell ar reserved the venue and ordered the cake for his proposal. My heart had

contracted briefly when | first learned about his plans, but the pain purekh transformed into tellet.

After all, with his unpredictable temperament, I'd worried he might deliberately delay our divorce out of spite. If

he dragged things past or remaining these months, I'd leave this world still carrying the Parker name.

When Laurel spoke those triumphant words, | felt nothing. No pain, no jealousy - just hollow amusement at her

desperate need to claim victory in a battle I'd already conceded.

The door swung open, interrupting my thoughts. Blake walked in carrying a basin of warm water, a pink

washcloth draped over his arm. He set the basin on Laurel's bedside table and handed her the washcloth with a

gentleness | hadn't seen in years at least not directed at me.

“Here you go,” he said, his voice unusually soft.

He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead, fingers lingering just a moment too long.

“Thank you, Blake darling!” Laurel's voice dripped sweetness, her eyes flicking briefly to me.

| watched their performance with detached coldness. Though I'd given up on Blake, seeing my legal husband act

so tenderly with another woman still turned my stomach. The contrast between his coldness towardand this

display of affection was almost comical.

| stood up, smoothing down my skirt.

“Mr. Parker,” | said, keeping my voice steady despite my fatigue. “Earlier you said once | finished chatting with

Miss Rose, you'd takehand handle what needs to be done. I've stayed as requested and our chat is

over.”

| asked directly. “When do you plan to takehome?”

Blake turned, annoyance flickering across his face. He tugged at his tie. “At least wait until Laurel's cleaned up.”

“So you'll takehafter Miss Rose finishes washing up?”

Instead of answering me, Blake turned to Laurel. ‘Laurel, what do you think?”

“Of course,” she replied, dabbing at her face with the washcloth. “If Miss Sinclair is in such a hurry, | wouldn't

want to keep her.”

| sat back down while Laurel wiped her face with deliberate slowness. When she finally finished, she fixed me

with a sharp stare.

“But Miss Sinclair, before you leave, please delete those unflattering photos you took of me.”

The request caughtoff guard. “What photos?”

‘Don’t pretend,” Laurel said, her expression hardening before melting into wounded innocence. “When Blake

went to get water, you secretly took photos ofafter I'd been crying. | saw you!”

| stared at her, confused. | hadn't touched my phone since entering the room.

“As friends, | normally wouldn't mind... But I'm an actress... if those unflattering photos leaked...” She clutched

the blanket. “My career... could be ruined.”

Seeing Laurel being on the edge of tears, Blake let out a sigh and stepped toward me, eyes flashing. “Give me

your phone.”

| stepped back. “I didn’t take any photos of her.”

173

Chapter 84.

“Misa sinclar, please, a Laureis vare cracked fan daraben,

-Mini Rone, don't rush fee -

Laurel turned away tically. “Mies Sinclair, Ith begging you..

After being pushed down stairs and kicked in the stomach, this transparent manipulation was the final draw

Laurel Rose, my patience has limite!!

She turned back, dropping her wounded act. “Aren’t you the one pushing boundaries? Not only do you

misunderstand my relationship with Blake dating bon now you want to destroy my career...

| felt my grip on sanity slipping.

This woman was unbelievable. | hadn't done a single thing she accusedof, yet here she was, twisting reality

as she wanted.

Heat rushed to my face. My hands shook with barely contained rage as 1 yanked my phone from my pocket.

“You want to play dirty, Laurel? Fine

If she was determined to dragthrough the mud, I'd make damn sure Blake saw her true colors. The recording

would expose everything.

Before | could unlock the screen, Blake's hand swooped in and plucked the phone away.

In that instant, everything clicked. The accusation, the tears, the whole performance it was all orchestrated to

get my phone. She wasn't worried about unflattering photos; she wanted to destroy evidence of her own

admission.

And like an idiot, I'd handed over exactly what she wanted.

“Give it back!” | lunged toward Blake, fingers grasping at air. “I

I new took

any pictures of her!”

It was useless. Even stretching to my full height, | couldn't reach my phone as Blake held it overhead, keeping it

just beyond my grasp.

Blake's POV

| kept the phone away from her and typed in my birthday - the password she’d used since day one.

The screen flashed: “Incorrect passcode. Please try again.”

“You changed your password?” | looked at her, genuinely surprised.

“Yes.”

She reached toward me. “Just give it back. I'll unlock it and delete whatever you want to see.”

| stepped back. “No. Tellthe code and I'll do it.”

Something changed in her face then. The fight drained out of her like someone had pulled a plug. She couldn't

reach the phone, and | wasn’t budging.

She took a deep breath, shoulders dropping. “Blake Parker, giveback my phone.”

“I didn’t take any photos of Laurel.”

Her tone madepause. That wasn’t the indignant denial I'd expected, but resignation that sounded almost

final.

I glanced at her face. Her eyes seemed hollow/with exhaustion, as if her spirit had been drained away. Dark

circles shadowed her gaze, and her skin looked unhealthy pale.

This hesitation bothered me. It was just a password, just sphotos. Why did she look so defeated? Was Laurel

mistaken about the pho

2/3

Chapter 84

| pushed the thought aside. If Audrey hadn't taken photos, she would have handed over her phone immediately

to prove it.

Laurel's voice cut through my confusion. “Blake darling, if Miss Sinclair won't tell you the password, maybe

there's something on her phone she doesn’t ward

you to see.”

“Lethandle it, she added. “I'm a woman, and | have no personal stake in this. I'd be the most appropriate

person.”

Her logic seemed sound. Laurel had no reason to go through Audrey’s personal information.

“That makes sense, | agreed, moving toward her with the phone.

“NO!” Audrey shouted, lunging forward with unexpected speed, reaching for the phone.

The sudden movement surprised me. Laurel reached for the device just as Audrey grabbed for it, and in the

confusion, Laurel's hand jerked. The phone slipped from her fingers and dropped directly into the basin of water.

The splash was small but definitive, followed by the distinct sound of electronics shorting out.

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