Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO

Chapter 423

Astrid’s POV

I stretched my legs across the fancy bed, watching the news with a frown.

Ryan sat beside me peeling an orange, his fingers working methodically as he watched my reactions.

‘Rich people are so weird,” I said, shaking my head. “Someone in their family just died, but all they care about is who gets to run the business next.”

Ryan laughed and handed me an orange slice. “That’s life. When I die after we’re married, you might end up doing the same thing.”

He winked, but his eyes stayed cold. Our Hartford family money isn’t Parker Group level, but it’s nothing to sneeze at.”

I stopped mid-chew. “Wait – you’re a Quinn. Why are you saying ‘our Hartford family’?”

“Because I’m a bastard,” Ryan said matter-of-factly. “I took my mom’s last name.”

He leaned back against the headboard. “My father’s a Hartford. Big name in New York. Pretty handsome when he was younger too – that’s what caught my

mom’s eye.”

His voice hardened. “Three months into the pregnancy, when she wanted to get married, she found out he already had a wife and an eight-year-old son.”

“She left the country pissed off, with me in her belly. That’s why I’m a Quinn.”

I studied his face, trying to connect this story to the fragments floating in my memory. “So if your mom left to cut ties with your dad, why are you – *

“Why am I back in New York claiming Hartford money?” Ryan finished, his smile not reaching his eyes. “I might be illegitimate, but I’ve got Hartford blood.

I’m still his son.”

His expression darkened. “My mom got tricked by him and had to raise me alone in a foreign country where we struggled. Meanwhile, the Hartfords lived it up in New York…”

Ryan’s voice shook with anger. “Why should they get everything? I came back to make them pay! I’m taking everything that should have been mine from my father’s precious other son!”

to leave,” I pointed out carefully. “However hard your life was…

dad, but why go after the whole Hartford family? Your half-brother… he didn’t steal anything from you, did

I definitely hit a

shoved the half-peeled orange into my hands and

rest,” he ordered, walking

me alone with the TV

on the bed finishing Ryan’s abandoned orange while the news continued covering Blake’s death and tomorrow’s

“tomorrow’s wedding at the city center chapel

friends are expected to

a guest list for the ceremony

7/2

Chapter 423

sat up straight when I spotted mine – paired with Henry Hartford, not Ryan

familiar, tugging at something buried in my mind, but whenever I tried to focus on it, my head

my throbbing temples. Flashes of memory a woman laughing, a stern man in an expensive suit, myself at some fancy event appeared

the headache finally eased, I got out of bed. I needed answers, and Ryan

walked carefully down the hall, still unsteady on my feet. The mansion was quiet except for occasional

I asked, rubbing

“Mr. Quinn is

at Ryan’s name, fear flashing across her face. I couldn’t place

and headed toward the study, following the signs on the

door, I raised my hand to knock but stopped when I heard Ryan talking. He had someone on

friend’s dead, his girlfriend’s missing

“How else would he get justice for his friend? Never thought someone like Blake Parker would get killed by his

save his ex-wife’s sister’s kid? So dedicated you’d think

with an idiot like Blake Parker all these years, he can’t

tomorrow, right

man’s voice – Vincent – replied. “Blake would’ve been my brother-in-law, wouldn’t

press conference today, tomorrow you’ll stand with

who you are by tomorrow afternoon. We’ll fan those flames, cement

you’ll control the whole Parker

other. You take