Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO

Audrey’s POV

Blake’s question hung in the air. Nora stood paralyzed, mouth working silently,

Scarlett jumped in with a smile. “Blake, you misheard! Nora meant to say second floor. She was just flustered.”

She turned to Nora, her smile vanishing. “Since Laurel’s awake, go tell her to come down. Mr. Parker and Miss Sinclair have been waiting.”

Relief washed over Nora’s face. “Yes, of course. I’ll bring Miss Rose down right away.”

She backed away, then practically ran from the room.

Scarlett sighed. “I thought she’d sleep longer. Since she got sick, her sleep patterns have changed completely.”

Blake watched her with an unreadable expression. “Mrs. Rose, do you think I’m deaf? She said ‘basement. Should I go see what’s down there myself?”

When Scarlett didn’t respond, he prompted, “Mrs. Rose?”

I could see panic building behind her composed facade. Her hands were clasped tightly inside her sleeves.

“Laurel stays on the second floor,” she finally said. After a pause: “About the basement…”

She took a deep breath. “Laurel was extremely close to her sister.”

“After her sister passed away, Laurel carried tremendous guilt. She believes if she’d noticed the depression sooner, everything might have been different.”

Blake’s expression softened slightly. “Why bring this up now?”

“Laurel kept all her sister’s belongings,” Scarlett continued. “Whenever she misses her, she looks through them.”

She sighed. “But with her condition…”

“I worried these items would trigger emotional distress, so I moved everything to the basement. But Laurel keeps sneaking

down there to mourn.”

She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “When Nora mentioned the basement… I suspect Laurel went there again, became

emotional, and her condition flared up.”

Blake stood, guilt softening his features. “I should check on her, then.”

froze, clearly not

“Stop drinking.

stood. “Sure. I’d love to witness Miss Rose’s sisterly grief firsthand.

1/4

Chapter 184

me a cold look. “Where’s the entrance to

before we could make a move, Scarlett suddenly lunged forward,

go!”

Blake and I stared at her, shocked

me and the door. “What

glanced nervously toward the staircase. “Besides… it’s filled with her sister’s belongings.

he said quietly. “We’re

been gone for years, and I’ve never visited her grave. I’d like to pay my

intending to search

you wanting to pay

have no connection to Laurel’s sister My daughter took her own life so young… someone from your background might

don’t mind at all. I’m actually quite curious about

my time as Mrs. Parker, I’d heard mentions of the Rose family’s second daughter during conversations with wealthy women. She’d died four years ago, while I’d married Blake three years ago.

after death.

Some said she was born from Scarlett’s affair, others claimed she was Mr. Rose’s child with another woman. Though officially the second daughter of the family, she’d never appeared in

nothing of her appearance or even her name. Now I could learn about this mysterious

“Mom?”

called from the

supported by Nora

locked onto mine. “Audrey Sinclair!

together, his hand

her lip, rushed over and forcefully pulled Blake’s hand away, glaring at me. “I go upstairs to rest for a few minutes, and you’re already trying to seduce

so ridiculous I almost laughed. “Blake Parker is

2/4

Chapter 184

their engagement. At the Parker mansion,

eyebrow and turned to Blake. “When did you two get engaged? I must have

my sarcasm

that’s not true,”

“Blake darling, have you

have a formal engagement, you’re still

me a triumphant look, like a general who’d