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!”

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

“This might be about your dad, but why go after the whole Hartford family?

eyes turned dangerous. I definitely hit

shoved the half-peeled orange into

rest,” he ordered, walking to the door. “You’re still

behind him, leaving me alone with

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

reporter said, “tomorrow’s wedding at the city center chapel will still

Parker’s close friends are expected to

a guest list for the ceremony from

7/2

Chapter 423

names for the procession. I sat up straight when I spotted mine – paired with Henry Hartford, not Ryan

The name Henry Hartford felt familiar, tugging at something buried in my mind, but whenever I

against my throbbing temples. Flashes of memory a woman laughing, a stern man in an expensive suit, myself at some fancy event appeared and vanished before I could

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

except for occasional staff footsteps. Turning a corner, I ran into

Quinn?” I

almost bowing. “Mr. Quinn is in

she tensed at Ryan’s name, fear flashing

thanks and headed toward the study, following the signs on

my hand to knock but stopped

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

for his friend? Never thought someone like Blake

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

continued. “If Henry Hartford was friends with an idiot like Blake Parker all these years, he can’t be too

coming tomorrow,

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

said, “You were at the press conference today, tomorrow you’ll

tomorrow afternoon. We’ll fan those flames, cement your position as the Parker family’s golden

you’ll control the whole

help each other. You take Hartford’s