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!”

your mom chose to leave,” I pointed out carefully. “However

continued. “This might be about your dad, but why go after the whole

I definitely hit a

half-peeled orange into my

walking to the door. “You’re still

me alone with

finishing Ryan’s abandoned orange while

Rachel Hayes,” the reporter said, “tomorrow’s wedding at the city center chapel will still happen despite Blake Parker’s

close friends are expected

list for the ceremony

7/2

Chapter 423

up straight

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

my throbbing temples. Flashes of memory a woman laughing, a stern man in an expensive suit, myself

out of bed. I needed answers, and Ryan was my only

walked carefully down the hall, still unsteady on my feet. The mansion was quiet except for occasional staff footsteps. Turning a corner, I ran into a maid

Ryan Quinn?” I

immediately stepped back, almost bowing. “Mr. Quinn is in his study,

tensed at Ryan’s name, fear

headed toward the study, following the signs on the

hand to knock but stopped when I heard Ryan talking. He

skeptically. “His best friend’s dead, his girlfriend’s missing – he’s still in the mood

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

ex-wife’s sister’s kid?

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

coming tomorrow,

a man’s voice – Vincent –

“You were at the press conference today, tomorrow you’ll stand with Thalia at the

afternoon. We’ll fan those flames, cement your

control the whole

Vincent replied smugly. “We help each other. You take Hartford’s stuff from Henry, I get Parker