Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO

Chapter 404

Astrid’s POV

“Five?” I blinked, trying to process Adrian’s words through my throbbing headache.

I shook my head, certain of what I’d seen. “But there were definitely six bodyguards. Five grouped together and one standing apart. I counted them myself.”

Adrian’s face darkened. “There were five! Henry gave me ten guys total. One was driving us, four were in the car behind protecting me and Evelyn. The other five were watching Emma. That’s it.”

He whipped around to the nearby officer. “How many knocked-out bodyguards did you find at the scene?”

The officer checked his notes. “Five, sir.”

Adrian turned back to me, eyes cold as ice. “Only five bodyguards were found unconscious. So how exactly did you see six?”

I frowned, confusion battling with certainty. My eyes burned but I kept my voice steady. “That’s impossible… I know I saw six. I wouldn’t mess that up.” A thought hit me. “Unless… one wasn’t actually yours. What if he was… what if he kidnapped Emma?”

Adrian laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Still lying? Obviously –

Audrey’s POV

“I believe Astrid,” I cut in firmly.

Adrian turned to me, surprise flashing across his face.

“When I ask Astrid to handle something, she takes it seriously,” I continued. “She adores Emma. Before all this happened, she was worried about taking Emma to the garden. Why would she be careless enough to miscount the bodyguards?”

I turned to the hotel manager who’d joined us. “Do you still have the surveillance footage?”

fell. “The garden cameras were down,

room?” I pressed.

pull it right away.” He hurried

how many guards

without hesitation. ‘Six.

skeptically.

while we waited was brutal. Adrian paced like a caged tiger while Astrid hugged herself, eyes red but determined. My heart ached seeing her like this. Astrid had always been our rock – even when Thalia Parker targeted her, when online trolls attacked her, she never broke down. She once told Ethan and me, “Cry

been

eye quickly. “It’s fine. He should be mad at

impatiently. “What are you standing around for? Aren’t you coming to see the footage? Or are you

be there?”

Astrid. This hurt worse than if he’d aimed

go, Audrey. My memory’s solid. There were

the footage shows six bodyguards like I said, will you

an eyebrow. “To

me,” she said firmly.

I turned, surprised. “Astrid…”

Emma as you are.

to jump

humiliate your friend in front of you. He

lying or careless, it means you’ve been wrongly

elevator fell silent. Something in Adrian’s expression

me, his voice quieter. “I’m sorry. I’ve been worried sick about Emma and I took it out on

holding onto Astrid’s arm

The elevator dinged open.

surveillance room, a staff member had the footage ready

manager nodded. “Play