Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO

Chapter 45

Audrey & MIV

Inside, Astrid was leaning over the windowsill, gazing out.

I walked over in where Astrid stood and leaned against the window frame, following her gaze outside.

I raised an eyebrow. What are you looking at?

“God, you scared me! Astrid jumped, spinning around to face me. “Since when did you become so quiet?

Outside, an ambulance was slowly pulling away from the hospital, its taillights gradually disappearing into the night. Something about that scene sent an inexplicable chill down my spine.

“That’s Laurel and Blake in there,” Astrid said, her voice tinged with sarcasm. The nurses said Laurel kept insisting she was traumatized, claiming everything hurts – her head, her heart, everything.”

“And?

“Blake immediately arranged for her transfer to Mayo Clinic.” She pursed her lips. “They just left.”

“You know what’s funny?” Astrid couldn’t help but add, shaking her head. “Mayo Clinic is where they treat all the terminal cases and rare diseases.”

“Taking his precious Hollywood princess there…” She gave a cold laugh. Then, nudging my shoulder, she added, “Hey, does Laurel have some terminal illness?”

My heart skipped a beat. Mayo Clinic. Dr. Evans‘ phone call from this afternoon suddenly echoed in my mind – someone wanted to buy my experimental medication, claiming his girlfriend needed it immediately due to emotional trauma. The timing… could Blake be the buyer?

But I quickly dismissed the thought. Despite Laurel’s constant display of fragility, her complexion was rosy, her voice strong and clear. I knew too well what late–stage gastric cancer looked like; that kind of suffering couldn’t be easily faked.

“Audrey?”

I kept staring at the air, lost in thought, until Astrid waved her hand in front of me. “What are you thinking about?”

I snapped out of my daze and turned to give her a faint smile. “Nothing.”

down to pick up my bag, I asked, “Have you counted how much I won for

instantly brightened. “Of course

five hundred and forty–eight thousand!” She exclaimed, almost bouncing with excitement. “All these years, I’ve lost about one or two million to those trust fund

arm around my shoulders, she steered us toward the exit. “And if Laurel hadn’t pulled that dirty trick, we’d

chose not to dwell on that thought. Instead, I glanced at her sideways. “So what’s the plan?

across her face.

high–end spa in New York. Through the floor–to–ceiling windows,

thought when you said relax, we’d end up at The Underground again, I looked at her,

Astrid laughed, pushing me through the door. “Besides, you’ve had a long

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Chapter 45

didh i have appo

only get two trainee Nalining the rule var

apologized profily, mading in

look the love bitms to you? Lekantined the marka on my neck and

“They kind of do. You’ll

jerk might hecuse you of

way, what affair? The words almost slipped out, but I swallowed them back just

a Southern restaurant. Astrid ordered a table full of spicy dishes, the aroma of spicy shrimp and extra

air

“Didn’t you used to love spicy food? It’s been a while, hasn’t

spicy dishes in

lifetime ago. Looking back, maybe that was one of

with Astrid. They say spicy food triggers pain receptors – I

the diagnosis, spicy food had become just another thing cancer

here thinking I needed comfort after today’s drama. The thought made

on, dig in!” Then, noticing my hesitation, “You okay?

throat tight. I forced down

pulled out my phone, pretending to check a message. “Sorry, need

hit. Even after getting rid of the spicy food, the burning in my stomach only intensified. I doubled over, one hand pressed