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

muttered. “Three days ago

forward, grabbing

another trick because she doesn’t want

joke is this? You’re her best friend how could

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This performance now? Where was this concern when she was

really is,” he demanded, grip

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

“Fine,” I said calmly.

at the fire barrel. “You

the flames,

you? You never cared when she was alive. Now you’re putting on this show, pretending you

Blake’s POV

I stopped hearing Astrid.

focus narrowed to the burning pages. The elegant handwriting on one journal cover read: “There might not be a future with Blake

Audrey’s handwriting.

buzzed like static. I’d been so fixated on finding Audrey I hadn’t noticed what Astrid

thinking, I plunged my hands into the flames. Fire scorched my skin, burned through

stop!” Ethan tried to pull

every charred scrap, spreading them on the

be right that someone like him would never

the nursing home. Still can’t let

patient now. I’ll marry him, care for him. Hope

hates me after all. Should’ve

deeper than

knew she wrote in her study but never looked. If I’d bothered to read these, would I

up at Astrid, voice raw,

to be

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

to Ethan. “Let’s

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Chapter 281

gave me a worried look before helping Astrid to their

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

emptied. I sat

taxi pulled up.