Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO novel Chapter 435

Chapter 435

Audrey’s POV

Michael clutched his files, heading for the elevator with me a few steps behind.

‘Mrs. Parker, need a ride somewhere?” he asked, pressing the button.

I stopped walking. Michael. After Blake and I divorced, I told you not to call me Mrs. Parker anymore.”

He turned to me with an innocent look.

Is your memory that bad? I don’t remember marrying Blake again,” I said.

Michael shifted his files and scratched his head awkwardly. “Sorry. Force of habit.”

“Really? You called me Mrs. Knox before. What happened to that habit?”

The elevator arrived, and we stepped inside. Michael hit the ground floor button.

“Get me a car,” I said, leaning against the wall. “I’m going to the detention center.”

Michael raised his eyebrows. “To see Rachel?’

Once the doors closed, I sighed.

“Michael, I know you heard the doctor earlier. You want Blake to recover. I get that, I continued. “But whatever Blake and I had is over.”

I faced him directly. “So quit with the Mrs. Parker. Don’t try to normalize it or pretend Blake and I are still together. Call me Mrs. Knox or Evelyn.”

After a long silence, Michael nodded. ‘Got it. Sorry, Mrs. Knox.”

When we reached the lobby, I patted his shoulder before walking out.

Thirty minutes later, I sat in a sterile visitation room at the detention center.

The door opened, and a guard led Rachel in. Her orange jumpsuit replaced designer clothes, and without makeup, she looked pale and drawn.

She froze when she saw me.

Rachel stared at the table. ‘Never thought you’d be my first visitor.”

I leaned back casually. “Disappointed?’

‘Just surprised. She finally looked up.

I studied her face. ‘I figured we were friends once. This might be our last chance to talk.”

Rachel’s head snapped up. “Friends? What do you mean?”

I tilted my head. “Your situation is partly my fault. I wanted to say goodbye properly.”

“That makes zero sense,” she snapped. “We have no friendship. You’re just Audrey’s random twin who showed up out of nowhere.”

I watched her silently – this woman who taught me to drive, who laughed with me over beer, who planned our jewelry business.

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Chapter 435

“Reminiscing about something?” I asked quietly.

“Why do you care?” She clenched her jaw. “You’ve got no right to reminisce about anything. You’re an outsider.”

I crossed my arms. “The friendship you ruined – now you’re acting nostalgic? Who’s this act for?”

“You’re nothing but Audrey’s DNA match!” Rachel’s voice rose. “What gives you the right to judge my feelings for her?”

I leaned forward. “You look exactly like when I first became your caretaker. All that anger. Too bad there’s no IV pole for you to knock over this time.”

Rachel stared, confusion morphing into disbelief. She pushed back so hard her chair scraped loudly, handcuffs rattling.

‘You’re… Audrey?” She shook her head. “That’s impossible. I checked everything – *

“Of course you couldn’t find anything wrong,” I cut in. “You were checking my sister’s records. Everything was real – just not mine.”

Rachel went pale.

‘Remember that movie about twin sisters switching identities? You said anyone who couldn’t recognize their closest friend didn’t deserve them.”

She bit her lip, shoulders slumping. “Are you… disappointed?”

“That doesn’t begin to cover it.” My voice came out softer than I meant it to. “I really thought we were friends, Rachel.”

She flinched.

“Remember how I tried helping you at Laurel’s party? How I risked everything to protect you? I was ready to sacrifice everything – even my life.”

I shook my head. “Then I come back as Evelyn and find out it was all one-sided. You were using me.”

–

“What hurts most is that everyone else figured me out. But you who claimed to know me best needed it spelled out.”

“Wait, Rachel looked up suddenly. “Everyone knows? Even Blake knows you’re Audrey?”

I nodded. “Since he saved me at Long Island.”

‘Long Island?” she repeated hollowly. “He’s known since Long Island?”

The color drained from her face. “That was months ago!”

Rachel’s laugh started low, then grew hysterical. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“That’s why he looked at you that way! Why he saved your kid! Why everything changed after meeting you!”

–

1 sat quietly, watching her break down the same manic energy I’d seen years ago when I first became her caretaker. Now she was reverting, but this time, I wouldn’t help her recover.

Eventually, her laughter faded to soft sobs. When she calmed down, I stood up.

‘Rachel, I came to say goodbye.”

She looked up with red-rimmed eyes.

“Thanks for showing me things I’d never have seen as a country girl,” I picked up my purse. “Even knowing your intentions weren’t real, I’m still grateful.”

I gave her a small smile. ‘But we’re done here. Your past kindness cancels out your recent crap. I won’t press charges for the harassment or Emma’s

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Chapter 435

kidnapping. If we ever meet again, we’re strangers.”

I stepped toward the door. “I won’t visit again. If you can’t get out of prison… we won’t be seeing each other anyway.”

“I might let go of what you did to me,” I added, “but what you did to Blake and Parker Group? That’s different. They won’t forgive so easily.”

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