Chapter 428

Audrey’s POV

Rachel stormed off, shoving through curious onlookers as she disappeared toward the preparation room. The crowd quickly dispersed, returning to their champagne and gossip.

Henry took another sip of wine. “You went soft on her.”

‘What?’

“After everything she’s done to you,’ he said, swirling his glass, “you still held back. She tried to have you kidnapped, maybe killed, and you just reminded her about ceremony time?”

His eyes studied me. “Still hanging onto that old friendship?”

The question stung. I remembered laughing with Rachel years ago, learning to drive together, planning our futures over cheap beer.

“You still think she ever actually cared about you?” Henry pressed.

I set my glass down. “This isn’t about her. It’s about Blake.”

My eyes drifted to where Blake sat with Jett in a far corner, away from attention.

Blake had been on those crutches too long already. We’d injected him with that medicine almost thirty minutes ago, and he only had about ninety minutes left before it wore off.

I recalled our debate at Thompson mansion. Blake had insisted on walking rather than using his wheelchair.

“Someone on crutches blends in, he’d argued. “People see a guy limping at a wedding, they figure he twisted an ankle. A wheelchair? That grabs attention.”

Felix had reluctantly agreed and practically begged Harrison Clarke for that adrenaline compound to temporarily boost Blake’s circulation.

The doctor had warned us about serious side effects, giving Blake just enough to last two hours time for his dramatic entrance, but not enough to cause permanent damage.

“This has nothing to do with Rachel,” I told Henry firmly. “We’ve got work to do.”

Henry studied my face before nodding silently.

Astrid’s POV

droned on about various society women and their net worth. His voice faded to background noise as I kept glancing toward Evelyn Knox and Henry Hartford across

genuinely concerned. And Henry… just

arrived, I’d spotted a familiar black car. Something about it triggered a strange feeling. Ryan had

meet again,’ Ryan had

been carved from stone strong

eyes met mine. I knew him. My body recognized him in ways

1/3

Chapter 428

man and me in a hotel room, his powerful arms holding me tight, passionate kisses. I

with my brother? Henry had

tightened his grip. “My fiancée is happy

ignored him completely, focusing on

like I was drowning in his gaze. “I’m… fine, I managed,

you for one day, and suddenly

been my fiancée for years, Ryan interjected. “Since university in Europe. Why else would she work so hard to get into your

darkened. ‘Is that

Ryan’s evidence, it was. Files showed I’d deliberately infiltrated Henry’s company, becoming his closest female associate. Ryan had photos

been Ryan’s spy, why did that thought make me sick now? Why did

whatever deception I’d been part of.

have been together since Europe. I did whatever I could to get close to you.

words felt like poison on

knew you had

voice lowered. “Was it all calculation from the

Ryan answered: “What’s wrong, Hartford? Can’t handle being played by me and my fiancée? Can’t accept that your closest woman was working

Henry thundered, silencing even Ryan. “I’m talking

back to me. “Was everything between us fake from

know how to answer. Why did he care so much about an employee’s betrayal?

been swept into an embrace by Evelyn Knox, who

talk, their heads bent close. Their obvious familiarity stirred something unpleasant – a

wrist. “Pay

Audrey’s POV

and the crowd immediately fell silent as

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