Chapter 78

**Blake's POV**

I could see Audrey's body stiffened. Then she turned, eyebrow raised."

What is there to talk about?"

"I told you the online posts weren't my doing," she added flatly.

As my eyes met hers, my breath caught. Something had changed in her.Before, Audrey's eyes always held a light when she looked at me - that mix of admiration and happiness I'd taken for granted. Now thatlight was gone. She looked at me like I was a stranger.

I felt control slipping away, and I hated it.

"I'm not here to accuse you," I said, pushing down the unsettling feeling. "I wanted to discuss how we might resolve this situation online."

"Then how do you want to resolve it?" she asked, face unreadable.

"This isn't the place to talk," I kept my voice steady. "Let's go upstairs."

I tried to walk past her, but Audrey stepped forward quickly,blocking my path.

"Mr. Parker," she said firmly."We can talk right here. It's not appropriate for you to enter a single woman's home."

I stopped cold. "You're single?"

"I will be soon," she replied, eyes challenging.

Fury rose in me. My family name, our reputation, billions in market value -all at risk because of this online disaster-and she casually called herself single? Like our marriage meant nothing? Like the scandal crushing my company wasn't worth her concern?

Before I could speak,she continued.

"Blake Parker, you came here to discuss our divorce, didn't you?" Her eyes locked onto mine. "Your solution is for us to divorce immediately,then forge a backdated agreement. If it's dated before Laurel returned from Europe, she wouldn't be labeled a homewrecker online, right?"

I stared at her, frowning. She knew me better than I thought. I'd barely started explaining, and she'd already mapped out my entire plan.

**Audrey's POV**

I watched Blake's face shift from anger to surprise. Despite everything, I still found myself reading his expressions - the tightening around his eyes,the shift in his jaw, the way his thumb pressed against his finger when caught off guard.

I knew I'd guessed correctly, so I said, "Drop the act. You already had this planned out. Why pretend you're here to consult me?"

"Give me the divorce agreement you've prepared," I added,extending my hand.

Blake froze, his face paling. "The divorce agreement... Michael will deliver it later."

I raised my eyebrow. He waited outside my apartment this late, but didn't bring the agreement?

"You didn't come to give me the divorce agreement? Then what are you here to discuss?"

Blake took a breath. "Audrey."

My name souanded different when he said it - softer somehow. I pushed the thought away.

"The divorce is just a temporary solution," he said, voice tired,"because what's happening online can't be fixed quickly." His eyes met mine. "Once this blows over and things calm down... We can still remarry..."

"What? Remarry? Are you kidding me?" I cut him off.

A bitter feeling spread through my chest. For months I'd tried to establish boundaries, to get him to agree to divorce. I thought he understood what I wanted.

Yet he still treated my desire for divorce like a tantrum that would pass.

It was almost funny.

I'd loved this man for years, giving him everything, yet he never understood me. Maybe he never bothered to try.

"We can discuss remarriage after we're actually divorced," I said, gathering my strength.

Blake watched me silently.

"I'll cooperate with the divorce agreement. You can go now, Mr.Parker."I walked past him without looking back and entered the building.

**Blake's POV**

I watched Audrey walk away, feeling strangely empty. She'd dismissed our marriage like it was nothing but paperwork.

My phone rang. I answered.

"Any events tonight?" I asked Alex Rhodes.

"What's this?" Alex laughed. "Is the great CEO Parker drowning his sorrows over today's internet drama?"

I stayed quiet.

"I've been telling you Audrey Sinclair is bad news! But you insisted she was innocent!" His voice was smug. "Now do you finally see her schemes?"

For years, my inner circle had talked about Audrey this way. I'd always let it slide, never feeling the need to respond.

But tonight, hearing Alex trash-talk her made me feel annoyed.

"The online situation... might genuinely have nothing to do with her," I said, surprising myself with the defense.

"Blake, be honest, is your grandfather there with you?" Alex whispered.

"What are you talking about?" I tightened my grip on the phone.

"You should use this chance to divorce Audrey quickly," he continued."Look how she's wrapped your grandfather around her finger! She has no real talents, just knows how to manipulate old men to stand up for her. It's despicable!"

My knuckles went white. I used to think Alex was honest. Now he just seemed thoughtless.

"I'll call you later," I said and hung up.

I looked up at Audrey's window. The lights were on, her shadow visible playing with her cat through the curtains.

My mood darkened.

I'd just brought up divorce, and she showed no distress. Instead, she went home to play with her cat, like she didn't care about me or our marriage.

Watching her shadow, I felt confused.

How ridiculous. I was actually anxious about divorcing Audrey Sinclair.

I sat in my car, unable to leave. This woman had probably caused the scandal costing my company billions. She'd kept our marriage secret for years.making me look foolish. She'd turned my grandfather against me.

Yet I couldn't drive away.

Hours passed. New York's nightlife buzzed around me. I answered emails and reassured shareholders while watching her window.

Eventually, her lights went out. Still, I stayed.

My phone rang at dawn. Laurel's name lit up the screen.

"Hello?" I answered, concerned she should be resting.

"Blake darling," she sobbed. "I had a nightmare. It's about Rachel's accident. I saw she was covered in blood and telling me to survive..."

"Laurel, are you alright?" I sat up straight.

"Rachel risked everything for me, and became a vegetative patient because

of it. It's only been four years... and now I have terminal cancer with little time left..." Her voice broke. "I feel so guilty about her sacrifice..."

Five years ago, when I took over Parker Group, my boldness gained the company opportunities but made me enemies.

During an assassination attempt where I was poisoned, I escaped into the ocean but collapsed on a beach.

Rachel Hayes and her sister rescued me. Through investigation,I learned her sister was Laurel Rose.

I was blind from poison; Laurel had lost her voice from shock.

She cared for me for over two months, saving my life.

Without Laurel Rose, there would be no Blake Parker today.

Her kindness was a debt I could never repay.

Thinking of this, I sighed. "Laurel, wait for me, I'll be right there."

"Alright. Blake darling, I'll wait for you."