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.

I’d hit him.

muttered. “Three days ago she

forward, grabbing

This is just another trick because she doesn’t want to

is this? You’re her best

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this concern when she was alive? When he kept her locked up, refused her medicine, spent every day with

where she really

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

“Fine,” I said calmly.

turned to Blake, pointing at the fire barrel. “You want to find Audrey? Jump in. You’ll see

he turned toward the flames, his

cared when she was alive. Now you’re putting on this show,

Blake’s POV

I stopped hearing Astrid.

The elegant handwriting on one journal cover read: “There might not be

Audrey’s handwriting.

so fixated on finding Audrey I hadn’t noticed

burned through my sleeve, but I felt nothing as I pulled

Parker, stop!” Ethan tried to pull me back, but I

charred scrap, spreading them on the ground. Each page contained Audrey’s thoughts about

right that someone like him

him again at the nursing

I’ll marry him, care for him. Hope he won’t hate

all.

than the burns on my

If I’d

up at Astrid, voice raw, “Where is she

to be another way to avoid

everything I

to Ethan. “Let’s

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Chapter 281

worried look

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

The lot emptied. I sat alone

pulled up.