Chapter 265
By the time we reconnected four years ago, my feelings weren’t the same, but I stayed with her because of my promise. Then the accident happened three years ago, I became a vegetative patient, and Audrey entered the picture…
Her mockery made me defensive. “It’s not just about that. We’re both from good families, we make sense together –
“Right, she cut in coldly. “Someone like you wouldn’t throw your life away over gratitude.”
My phone rang. I shifted Snow to one arm and answered.
“Blake darling, Laurel’s fragile voice came through, “did you look for Audrey and my sister again? Did you find them?”
I glanced at Audrey and lowered my voice. “No. After this long, Audrey’s probably dead.”
There was a strange excitement in Laurel’s voice despite her attempt to sound sad. “She was so young… Maybe you should keep looking? What if she survived?”
“I’m done searching,” I said firmly. “Too much time and money wasted already.” I changed the subject. “Is the equipment at Mayo Clinic fixed?”
“Yes,” she answered. “Still don’t know why everything disconnected…”
The small room carried sound well. Audrey could hear Laurel clearly, and at the mention of disconnected equipment, her lips curved into a satisfied smirk.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, uncomfortable with Audrey’s expression.
I turned away with Snow, heading toward the door.
As I moved with the phone, I caught movement in my peripheral vision. Audrey lunged forward, trying to grab Snow while I was
distracted.
I reacted instantly. The moment she carried Snow into her arms, I pushed – pinning her against the wall with my body.
“Ah! Pain escaped through her teeth.
“Blake darling, what was that?” Laurel asked immediately.
With Audrey trapped between me and the wall, I stared coldly at her pale face. “Nothing. Just a stray cat.”
A cat?” Laurel sounded confused, then understanding dawned. “Oh right, you’re by the ocean. There would be strays around…”
She contined, “My mother’s leaving, and I’ll be alone. Could you come keep me company?”
I’ll be there soon,” I said after a brief pause, and hung up.
“Let go!” Audrey glared up at me. “Go run to your precious Miss Rose!”
I smirked. “And what about you? Hiding in this dump, pretending you saved me here?”
I looked around the decaying room. “The furniture arrangement, the bed position – identical to the room from five years ago. You’ve really committed to this lie that you saved me five years ago, haven’t you?”
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Chapter 265
Audrey let out a harsh laugh. “You know Pinehaven was bought up four years ago, right? Someone paid crazy money for this dump, claiming they’d develop it.”
Laurel’s uncle bought it,” I said with a shrug. “So what?”
I remembered the news coverage. The media had a field day mocking how Laurel’s uncle had flushed money down the drain on worthless property that would just sit abandoned.
Which is exactly what happened.
‘Do you honestly think her uncle is that stupid with money?” Audrey asked.
She waved her free hand around the room. “He bought this place to erase what happened here, not to build anything.”
“Look at this place. Everything’s ancient. Rust everywhere. Cobwebs in every corner. You think I faked all this? Made it look decades old overnight?”
I narrowed my eyes. That question had nagged at me before. The authenticity of the decay here wasn’t something easily faked.
But still…
“Whatever,” Audrey sighed, giving up. “I’m done explaining myself to you.”
She held Snow against her chest and pushed at my arm. “Go back to Laurel. Snow and I have somewhere else to be.”
