Blake’s POV

She didn’t look back. Not even once. The woman in red who’d just walked away with a confidence I’d never seen in my wife of three years. This wasn’t the Mrs. Parker in my memory. This was someone else entirely – someone who’d learned to stand straight without seeking my approval.

When will you sign them?

Her words echoed in my mind, sharp as broken glass. The divorce papers. Of course, she would pull something like this – another one of her manipulative games.

I started after her, but Laurel pressed herself against my chest. “Your dancing is so much better! That gentleman… he was so rough, stepped on my toes several times!”

“Not now, Laurel.” My eyes remained fixed on Audrey’s retreating form. The sight of James Collins draping his navy suit jacket over her shoulders made a fierce surge of possessive jealousy churn in my chest. The same feeling I’d gotten watching her dance with every other man in the room tonight.

“Blake.” Laurel caught my arm, her eyes fixed on Audrey’s retreating figure. “What’s wrong?”

She tilted her head with practiced concern. “Did Mrs. Parker upset you?”

“Laurel.” I shook off her grip with barely concealed irritation. “I have something to handle. Enjoy yourself at the gala.”

Without waiting for her response, I strode toward the exit where Audrey had disappeared. Three steps forward – and then the sound of shattering crystal glasses froze the entire ballroom.

I turned to find Laurel sprawled beside the collapsed champagne tower, her white dress now stained with spilled champagne, one hand clutched to her chest in apparent distress. A thin line of red was blooming across her palm where a broken champagne glass had cut her

“I’m so sorry,” she whimpered, eyes wide with calculated fear. “I just felt so dizzy suddenly…”

Her eyes filled with tears. “The champagne tower… all those glasses… Blake, I’ve ruined everything!”

“Let me see.” I caught her hand, examining the cut. It wasn’t deep, but blood was already staining the pristine white of her dress. “We need to get this looked at.”

“No, no…” She tried to pull away. “If you want to go after Audrey, you should. I’ll be fine.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You need medical attention.”

“But after everything I did…” Her voice caught. “Five years ago, saving you when you were blind… I never asked for anything in return. And now I’m just causing trouble…”

My grip on her hand tightened. “Stop. You know I’ll always be grateful for what you did back then.” The words came automatically, practiced. “Let’s get you to a doctor.”

I held her and left the gala.

As I approached the entrance, I caught sight of Audrey again. She was standing with James near the entrance, speaking to a group of senior jewelry designers. I caught fragments of their conversation. James was introducing Audrey to those designers.

“This is my junior from Parsons,” he was saying, gesturing to Audrey. “She’s an exceptionally talented designer.”

Audrey stood slightly behind him, a genuine smile gracing her features as she greeted the industry veterans. “Hello, I…”

The sight of her comfortable familiarity with James ignited something dark inside me. Before I realized what I was doing, my shoulder slammed into hers as we passed. Audrey stumbled, nearly falling, but James’s hand shot out instantly, steadying her by the shoulder.

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