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?”

garden cameras

room?” I pressed. ‘Do you have that

“Yes! I’ll have someone pull it right away.” He hurried off, clearly

looked at Astrid gently. “Do you remember how many guards were with you when you

without hesitation. ‘Six. Definitely

skeptically. “We’ll see about

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 over that petty crap? Please. If I were that soft, would I still

never been in danger before. Adrian’s just

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

coming to see the footage? Or are

be there?”

of anger watching him attack Astrid. This hurt worse than if he’d aimed it at me. Why had I dragged her into this

my hand. “Let’s go, Audrey. My memory’s

if the footage shows six bodyguards like I said, will

raised an eyebrow. “To

she said firmly.

I turned, surprised. “Astrid…”

on Adrian. “Audrey’s just as worried about Emma as you are. This isn’t on her. She just trusted me

jump in.

she cut me off. “I see what’s happening. If Adrian actually cared about you, he wouldn’t humiliate your friend in front of you. He might not be yelling at you directly, but I can tell he’s been taking his anger

“So if the video shows six people, proving I wasn’t lying or careless, it means you’ve been wrongly accusing me and taking it out on Audrey. You owe her an

Something in

sorry. I’ve been

onto Astrid’s arm and looking

The elevator dinged open.

the surveillance room, a staff member had the

nodded.