Chapter 91
Audrey’s POV:
:
The next morning, I returned to the Bailey family residence early, hoping to check on Margaret.
To my surprise, I found the place completely empty–not a single family member in sight.
“Hello?” I called out, my voice echoing through the empty space. “Is anyone home?”
Martha, the housekeeper, appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron.
‘Oh, Miss. Lane. I wasn’t expecting you today.”
“Where is everyone?” I asked.
Martha’s expression shifted to concern.
ร
“You haven’t heard? Miss Sienna was attacked yesterday. She’s at Manhattan Central Hospital. The whole family rushed there last night.”
“Attacked?” My blood ran cold.
Could this be Brandon? Caspar just told me yesterday that he’d dealt with him. People with strong vengeful tendencies like him might easily take
their anger out on others.
“Who attacked her? Do you know who did it?”
Martha shook her head.
‘I’m afraid I don’t have those details, Miss. Lane.”
‘Will they be coming back here today?” I asked, trying to decide what to do next.
Martha nodded. ‘Mrs. Bailey mentioned they’d be returning once the doctors finish their evaluation.”
‘I see. Thank you, Martha.”
I went to my room to wait, not wanting to leave without seeing Margaret.
It wasn’t long before I stood on the balcony, watching as a town car pulled up to the building entrance.
George emerged first, then carefully helped Sienna out. She was walking on her own but leaning heavily on her father’s arm. Eleanor hovered close by, her hands fluttering uselessly around her daughter.
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18:30 Fri, Jan 30 M…
Chapter 91
:
I took a final drag from my e–cigarette, the cherry–flavored vapor dissipating in the cool morning air.
Inside, I opened my laptop and carefully removed the external hard drive.
Brandon Thornton’s cloud storage had been surprisingly easy to access.
When the apartment door opened, I heard Sienna’s theatrical sobs and Eleanor’s soothing murmurs.
I waited until they’d settled in before making my appearance in the living room.
Margaret was already seated in her favorite armchair, looking exhausted.
She brightened when she saw me.
“Audrey, you’re back. You didn’t even say a word when you moved out. Have you been living well outside?”
“I left late that night,” I explained gently.
“I didn’t want to wake you when you’d finally fallen asleep. And yes, don’t worry about me–I’ve been taking good care of myself.”
Margaret led me to her bedroom, closing the door behind us.
60)•
“I know it hasn’t been easy for you here,” she said, her voice low. “George and Eleanor… well, they’ve never made you feel truly welcome,
have they?”
I squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry about that now. What matters is your health.
“I’m fine, she insisted, waving away my concern.
‘What I care about is you. Are you eating properly? Getting enough rest? That apartment of yours–is it safe?”
I couldn’t help but smile at her motherly concern.
“I promise I’m taking good care of myself. The apartment is lovely, and I’m eating well.
Margaret’s shoulders relaxed visibly.
“That puts my mind at ease, dear.”
I assured her, patting her hand gently. “And I’ll come visit you often.”
18:30 Fri, Jan 30 M
Chapter 91
…
Before leaving, I knocked on Sienna’s bedroom door.
‘Come in, came a weak voice from inside.
I pushed the door open to find Sienna lying in bed, looking pale against her silk pillowcases.
When she saw me, her expression immediately hardened.
‘Well, well,” she said bitterly. “Came to enjoy the show? Are you happy to see me like this? Must be quite satisfying for you.”
I stepped into the room, closing the door behind me. “That’s not why I’m here.”
“Enough of this act. Your fake sympathy is the last thing I need.”
‘I brought you something, I ignored her screams and said calmly, pulling out the hard drive and placing it on her dresser.
She eyed it suspiciously. “What’s that?”
“It contains all the compromising photos and videos Brandon Thornton had of you,” I said.
“I’ve deleted everything from his cloud storage. This is the only copy that exists now.”
Sienna froze, the jar of cream suspended in her hand. “You… how did you…”
“I didn’t do it for you,” I replied coolly. “I did it for Margaret. She doesn’t deserve to have her family name dragged through the tabloids
because of your poor judgment.”
Sienna’s hands trembled slightly. “So that’s it? You’re just… giving this to me?”
“Yes. And a warning: don’t provoke anyone else. I won’t clean up your messes again.”
The door opened behind me, and Eleanor appeared.
‘What are you doing in here?” Eleanor demanded, her voice sharp with accusation.
“Sienna is injured and vulnerable. Have you come to torment her even more? Hasn’t she suffered enough?”
I stared at Eleanor, feeling the familiar wave of disappointment wash over me.
She was still determined to see the worst in me. No matter what I did, I would always be the villain in her story.
Without saying a word, I turned and walked toward the door.
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18:30 Fri, Jan 30
…
Chapter 91
There was no point in arguing, no point in defending myself. I’d long since given up trying to change Eleanor’s perception of me.
As I stepped into the hallway, I heard Sienna’s voice behind me.
“Mom, stop. You’ve got it wrong. Audrey was actually helping me. She wasn’t…”
I didn’t stay to hear the rest. I’d done what I came to do. The rest was up to them.
I continued walking, but Eleanor’s hurried footsteps followed me to the foyer.
“Audrey, wait.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
