Chapter 370
Audrey’s POV
I stared at Rachel, searching for any trace of the friend I once knew. Nothing. The woman standing before me was a stranger wearing my friend’s face.
*If I remember correctly,” I said, my voice tight, “you and Audrey Sinclair were pretty close.”
*Since you went through the trouble of stealing my DNA and now believe I’m Audrey. Why aren’t you happy about finding your supposedly dead friend?”
Rachel swallowed hard. “I’m just angry you’d fake your death and disappear without telling anyone.”
Her voice lacked conviction. Five years ago, this woman taught me everything about surviving in high society. Now she couldn’t even lie convincingly.
“Audrey Sinclair.”
Thalia stepped around Rachel, positioning herself between us. She shot Rachel a dismissive glance before turning her full attention
to me.
“You seriously think she’d still be your friend? You knew she woke up from her coma, but you faked your death and bailed on her. Do you have any idea how devastated she was?”
“Now you show up right before she marries my brother? Everyone knows what you’re doing.” Thalia leaned in, lowering her voice to a theatrical whisper. “You want to steal her fiancé and expect her to welcome you with open arms? The fact she’s not treating you like an enemy already shows how much she values your past.”
I couldn’t deny her logic. Even if Rachel accepted I was Audrey, what difference would it make? We were on opposite sides now. Our friendship was over.
“Evelyn.”
Adrian’s voice pulled me back. His hand found mine, squeezing gently. The small gesture steadied me.
I took a deep breath. “I simply asked a question. I don’t understand why everyone’s so worked up. I’ve already told you, I’m not Audrey Sinclair.”
My eyes found Rachel’s. “Your reaction makes me wonder about your relationship with this Audrey person.”
“Are you cold to me because you really see Audrey as a rival?” I asked. “Or because you know I’m not her, and you’re just making things up?”
Rachel looked down, saying nothing. The reporters pressed closer, hungry for drama.
“Let’s go,” Adrian said, tugging my hand. “The Sinclair confrontation will settle this. No point wasting time with these people.”
As we walked toward the hotel entrance, I glanced back. Blake sat in his wheelchair, watching us leave. Our eyes met briefly. His gaze held none of the stubborn determination from before – just longing and something like helplessness I couldn’t quite place.
1 quickly looked away.
1/2
Blake’s POV
I watched them walk away, Adrian’s hand firmly clasped around Audrey’s. My eyes caught on the green maple leaf preserved in his cufflink – identical to the one Audrey had picked up yesterday at Northern Care Facility.
She’d stopped to collect it while walking those grounds, twirling it between her fingers during my call. Now Adrian wore it like a trophy.
So she’d made him a custom gift using something she found after seeing my grandfather. In her eyes, he really mattered. Their relationship had progressed faster than I’d imagined.
“Blake.” Thalia’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Stop staring at them.”
She planted herself in front of my wheelchair. “Didn’t you say you were here to back us up? Why are you taking their side?”
“She’s right,” Rachel added. “You didn’t have to embarrass Thalia in front of everyone.”
I gave them both a cold look. “So I should’ve let her slap Adrian with every reporter in New York watching? Smart plan.”
“Do you understand who Adrian Knox is? Rachel, I thought you were the one who knew how to handle delicate situations. What would happen if videos of Thalia attacking the son-in-law of the Australian Parkers went viral? Want to replay what nearly destroyed Parker Group twenty years ago?”
