Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO

Chapter 417

Astrid’s POV

Thalia stared at Rebecca, her face blank with shock. “Mom… is all this true? I…

She could barely get the words out, her voice cracking like dry wood.

Rebecca smiled, stroking her daughter’s hair with surprising tenderness. “Of course it’s true. I never told you before because you can’t keep secrets. You would’ve acted weird around Blake, and he would’ve figured it out.”

I stayed frozen behind my tree, barely breathing, my fingers cramping around my phone as I kept recording.

“But now Blake’s dead, so there’s no reason to keep hiding it,” Rebecca continued. “And don’t worry – I won’t let that outsider Rachel Hayes take over Parker Group.

“What do you mean?” Thalia asked.

Rebecca leaned back, confident as a cat. “Once you’re married, Parker Group will have a new son-in-law. Rachel Hayes will have to step aside for your husband. The power comes back to us, where it belongs.”

I watched understanding dawn on Thalia’s face. The family resemblance between them had never been clearer – same calculating eyes, same cold smile.

“If this guy’s your pick,* Thalia nodded firmly, ‘I’ll marry him after Blake’s funeral and when William’s gone. Let Rachel deal with the mess first, then we take back what’s ours.”

Rebecca squeezed her daughter’s hand, looking deeply satisfied. “That’s my girl.”

Thalia threw herself into her mother’s arms. “Mom, you’re brilliant. I’ve wanted to take Blake’s power for ages.”

My stomach turned watching their tender moment. They were discussing deaths like social events.

“I know, sweetie,” Rebecca said, returning the hug. “Three years ago, your last business-savvy boyfriend was also my selection. When things looked promising between you two, I arranged Blake’s car accident…”

She said it so casually. I felt sick.

discussing an undercooked meal. “While he was a vegetable, I tried to finish him off multiple times, but William had Audrey marry him. That bitch never left his side – I couldn’t get

had to cover my mouth to

you, Rebecca added, her tone slightly scolding, ‘you cheated on your boyfriend after Blake’s accident. Once you broke up, I had to

squeezed tighter. “Sorry

fine, Rebecca patted her back. “Things worked

in his coma? Now

tell Audrey. This wasn’t family drama – this was attempted

thinking, I stepped back. A dry branch snapped

Crack

Chapter 417

heads whipping toward me. “Who’s there?!”

Sha

Audrey’s POV

“Miss Hayes.”

her eyes narrowing as she spotted me in the parking garage. Despite her reddened

Knox, she sneered. “Here to claim your daughter’s

neutral. “I’m not identifying anyone. Just thought I’d deliver this myself rather than sending

held out Blake’s

contained excitement. After confirming it was Blake’s limited edition model,

drive from her coat and connected it to

would’ve been outraged. Now I just observed her like an

on the screen. “Trying to start from scratch with Adrian? I’ll admit,

about to control all of Parker Group. An empire that rivals your adoptive parents’ entire

smiled bitterly at the irony. “None of it came from your own work. What’s there to be

Rachel I knew five years ago would’ve been disgusted by what she’d become. I remembered her at a

build something ourselves! What’s

back then. I’d chugged my beer and agreed, “You’re right! I’ll design, you’ll manage, and we’ll become jewelry stars – по handouts, just

no options talk about ‘hard work.’ Evelyn, you’re as naive

Ding!