Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO novel Chapter 274

Chapter 274

Blake’s POV

After resolving Hannah’s situation at Mayo Clinic, I returned to Lunar Mansion exhausted, but couldn’t find Audrey anywhere despite searching the entire house. My frustration grew with each empty room.

If she hadn’t had security call me about needing medicine, I wouldn’t have lost Thalia. Hannah wouldn’t be fighting for her life right now. And this woman has the nerve to disappear after claiming she’s dying?

I loosened my tie in frustration and headed toward the back garden. The mansion had limited exits, and since security confirmed she hadn’t left, the only place she could be was the garden.

As I approached the back door, voices drifted through.

“So you had embarrassing moments as a kid too?” Felix Thompson. “I thought someone as beautiful as you would’ve always been perfect.”

“Perfect? Me?” Audrey laughed. “I grew up in a village doing farm work. People thought I was rough around the edges.”

“I’d love to see that sometime…”

I stepped into the garden. Audrey sat inside our property. On the other side of the fence – technically outside my security perimeter – Felix Thompson lounged like a man without a care. Not exactly looking like someone who’d supposedly drowned in the Hudson.

“What are you doing?” I asked, walking toward them. “This is your dying emergency, Audrey?”

I’d rushed back worried about her, and here she was, flirting through a fence.

Felix stood awkwardly. “Blake. Audrey isn’t well. I brought medicine.”

“Medicine?” I looked between them. “My staff can’t buy medicine? We need the ‘dead’ Mr. Thompson to hand-deliver it? Or does it only work when he brings it?”

Audrey stood up. “You should go.”

“Blake, there’s nothing between us,” Felix said.

‘Leave.”

One word. Felix hesitated, then walked away, glancing back repeatedly.

When he disappeared, Audrey turned to me. “I thought you wouldn’t be back for a week.”

She walked toward the house. No limping. No hunched posture from pain. Just her usual graceful walk.

Unbelievable. Hours ago she claimed she’d die without medication. And I almost bought it.

“If I hadn’t come back today, I’d have missed your garden date,” I said, following her,

Inside, I caught her arm, pinning her against the door. “When did you get so cozy with Thompson?”

She didn’t flinch.

“Coming out of hiding just for you? Makes sense he faked his death to protect you anyway.”

I leaned closer. “You’re better at seducing men than I thought.”

Audrey shoved my hand away. “You locked me up. Someone had to bring me medicine.”

“My security’s medicine not good enough?”

“That’s right.” She took a breath. “Blake, I’ll tell you the truth. I’m terminally ill. Not much time left.”

“Your guards can’t get what I need. Felix brought it because his grandfather is Dr. Clarke.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What terminal illness?”

“Late-stage gastric cancer.”

I laughed. “Really? That’s the best you could come up with? Gastric cancer? You accused Laurel of faking illness. Now you’re doing

the same.”

She started for a while, then smiled bitterly. “You’re right. I was faking. Had security call because I wanted you back. Happy now?”

I knew it.

I grabbed her jaw, forcing her to look at me. “Do you know what I was doing when they called?”

a

“If you hadn’t pulled that stunt, I wouldn’t have lost Thalia. What they did to Hannah wouldn’t have happened.”

Audrey’s POV

I froze. Felix had mentioned Hannah earlier – the woman who got my medication. Blake’s new charity case. The reason he came

rushing back.

“So you were following your sister,” I said, connecting the dots. “My call made you lose them, and by the time you found them again, they’d already hurt this Hannah girl?”

Blake didn’t answer, but his fingers dug deeper into my jaw. Hard enough I thought the bone might crack.

I laughed, yanking his hand away. “How is that my fault?”

“I didn’t assault her. I’m not responsible for your sister’s actions. How was I supposed to know what you were doing? If you’re mad about failing to protect your new girlfriend, don’t blame me.”

“Instead of wasting time on me, maybe discipline your psychotic sister! I’ve put up with her crap for years. If she keeps going, someone will die, and you’ll go down with her.”

I snatched up Snow and stormed upstairs, Minutes later, I heard his car start.

Gone.

I curled up with Snow, pain throbbing through me now that I didn’t need to hide it.

I’m over him. Done. But hearing him give away medicine I needed to live, then blame me for his sister’s cruelty… why does that still hurt?

I held Snow tighter and closed my eyes.

2/4

Why does heartbreak feel so physical? Is death the only way I’ll escape Blake Parker? Well, death’s coming soon anyway.

For the next week, Blake stayed away. But security doubled. Before, Felix could pass things through the fence. Now guards watched every inch of the property.

I grew weaker without proper treatment. A canary in Blake’s gilded cage.

But I wasn’t hopeless. I started with just Felix, then added Astrid and Ethan to my secret calls. Their voices kept me going.

Sometimes, catching my skeletal reflection, I felt oddly relieved.

Better Blake locked me away. If Astrid saw me like this, she’d fall apart. Dying quietly isn’t so bad.

My only wish now? Hearing Rachel wake up before I go.

That day, I’d framed a small painting to hang in the bathroom. I hammered a nail into the wall, phone on speaker.

“Rachel really woke up?” I asked.

+

“Yes!” Felix’s excitement poured through the phone. “She said some words yesterday. They were slurred, but definitely your name!”

“Grandpa’s doing rehab with her. In a few days, she should be talking in full sentences!”

“That’s amazing!”

A car pulled up outside.

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Blake’s back?

Remembering his reaction last time, I quickly ended the call. I didn’t want to lose my last connection to the outside.

I left the bathroom and heard an angry female voice from downstairs.

“Laurel, I was right! My brother stayed here that night. Someone’s definitely living here!”

‘It’s her. I won’t get it wrong this time!”

Thalia. My stomach dropped.

I never expected her to bring Laurel here. Just a week ago, Thalia had helped torture Hannah until she nearly died from a lung infection. Blake had cleaned up that mess, and I figured that was the end of it.

Guess answering Blake’s phone that morning was all it took for them to hunt me down.

I turned to sneak through the back corridor to the garden. No way I could face all three of them.

“There she is!” Olivia’s voice rang out.

Busted. I felt their stares like daggers in my back.

“So Blake really does have a side piece,” Laurel said, her voice sickly sweet. “You know his dead ex-wife used to live here, right? Not creeped out by that?”

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My hands balled into fists. I stayed frozen.

Then Thalia’s grip locked around my arm, spinning me forcefully.

“Are you deaf?” she snapped. “Look at us when we’re talking to you!”

Chapter 275

Audrey’s POV

When I turned around, all three women screamed like they’d seen a ghost.

Thalia jumped back, nearly tripping over herself. “Audrey Sinclair? But… you’re supposed to be dead!”

Olivia’s face went pale. “This can’t be happening. Not in broad daylight…”

Only Laurel kept her cool. After a moment of shock, a smile spread across her face. “So this is Blake’s little secret. His caged canary.”

She walked toward me, eyes gleaming. “No wonder Blake suddenly stopped searching for you. All those days dragging the river, then nothing. He told everyone you were shark food.”

“But he was hiding you here the whole time. Playing both sides – the grieving ex-husband in public while keeping his pet safely tucked away.”

She grabbed my wrist, nails digging into my skin. “Does it feel good? Being the other woman now? After all that righteous talk about me destroying your marriage, look at you the secret mistress.”

I yanked my arm free, anger burning through me. “You think I want to be here? Blake Parker isn’t important enough for that. I wanted the divorce. I walked away. I’m the last person who’d take him back.”

I gestured toward the window where guards stood watch. “You got past security. You think those men are protecting me? They’re my jailers. Blake’s keeping me prisoner until I die!”

My words hung in the air. Thalia looked me up and down, her fear turning to rage as she processed that I was flesh and blood, not

some ghost.

Without warning, she kicked me hard in the stomach. “Why not speed things up then?”

Before all this, her kick would’ve barely fazed me. But cancer had hollowed me out, leaving behind a skeleton wrapped in skin.

I crashed to the floor, pain radiating through my body. The impact knocked the wind from me, and I couldn’t even push myself up.

“What happened to you?” Olivia pressed her foot on my shoulder, grinding down. “The mighty Mrs. Parker, crawling like a bug. Stand

up.”

“Enough.” Laurel stepped in, pulling Olivia back. “Don’t get physical. Did you forget what happened with Hannah?”

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