Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO

Chapter 281

Astrid’s POV

Me, CEU

In these three days, James, Ethan and I completed Audrey’s funeral while dodging Blake’s search teams.

Following her wishes, we took her ashes to the coastal village where she grew up, to NYU, to Pinehaven Village where she met Blake and Rachel, to the nursing home where she cared for William, even past Lunar Mansion.

Half a day’s journey covered her entire twenty-something years of life. After our pilgrimage, we laid her to rest in a cemetery overlooking the coast.

When Blake found me, I was burning Audrey’s journals in an empty lot.

He grabbed my arm hard. “Where is Audrey?”

I looked him over

unshaven, dark circles under bloodshot eyes, that perfect suit rumpled. Not so polished now.

I shook free and kept tossing notebooks into the flames.

What’s the point of hating him now? Audrey’s gone. She made it clear she didn’t want his tears afterward.

He seized my arm again, fingers digging in. “Where is Audrey? Three days ago, I had Michael call you to check on her. Where did you take her?”

I tried pulling away but couldn’t break his grip. Instead, I grabbed the remaining journals and dumped them all into the fire at once.

The flames leaped higher, lighting my face as I smiled coldly. “Who are you asking about?”

His grip tightened, desperation creeping into his voice. “Stop playing games. I need to see her. I have something important to tell her.”

“You won’t find her,” I laughed, the sound harsh even to my ears. “Whatever you wanted to say, save it. Audrey won’t hear you anymore.”

“How would you know?” he demanded. “Just tell me where she is, I’ll find her myself.”

“Where will you find her, in heaven?”

His grip went slack. “What do you mean?”

I stared directly into his eyes. “Audrey is dead.”

Thunder crashed somewhere in the distance.

like I’d hit him. The color drained from his

muttered. “Three days ago

transformed into rage. He lunged forward, grabbing my

fine! This is just another

me. “What kind of joke is this? You’re her best friend how could you even

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This performance now? Where was this concern when she was alive? When

where she really is,”

appeared, pulling Blake’s hands off me. He wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders. “Are

“Fine,” I said calmly.

fire barrel. “You want to find Audrey? Jump in. You’ll see

the

ahead,” I taunted. “Why don’t you? You never cared when she was alive. Now you’re putting on this show, pretending you care. Who’s it

Blake’s POV

I stopped hearing Astrid.

burning pages. The elegant handwriting on one journal cover read:

Audrey’s handwriting.

so fixated on finding Audrey

into the flames. Fire scorched my skin, burned through my sleeve, but I felt nothing as I pulled out

Ethan tried to pull me

on the

remember me. Could Rachel be right that someone like him would never

again at the

a vegetative patient now. I’ll marry him, care

all. Should’ve let go long

deeper than the burns

she wrote in her study but never looked. If I’d bothered to read these, would I have figured it out sooner? Hurt

at Astrid, voice raw, “Where

This has to be another way to avoid

“I’ve said everything I need to. Believe it

to

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Chapter 281

worried look

fragments of Audrey’s heart, reading until my face was wet

emptied. I sat alone with the ashes

taxi pulled up. Ethan