Chapter 19

**Audrey's POV**

I stood motionless, watching Rebecca and Thalia approaching me step by step. My teeth dug into my lower lip as I tried to steady myself. The evening had already drained so much of my energy, and now my stomach felt like it was being twisted by invisible hands.

Just standing here with my spine straight took almost all the strength I had left. How could I possibly defend myself against these two?

Everything seemed to slow down. I caught Blake's movement from the corner of my eye - a half-step in my direction, an aborted gesture of protection that died the moment Laurel's voice cut through the tension.

"Thalia, Rebecca!" Her breathy cry was perfectly timed, perfectly pitched.I watched as she pressed one manicured hand to her stomach, her gown highlighting her dramatic swoon. "Oh... it hurts..."

Blake's attention shifted instantly as he turned to Laurel. The concern in his eyes was so palpable and unfamiliar - to me. "Are you alright? Where does it hurt? Should I call a doctor?"

The scene burned into my vision, but I had no time to process the pain it caused. Rebecca and Thalia were already in front of me, their faces twisted with fury. Rebecca grabbed both my hands, pinning them down, while Thalia raised her palm high above her head and slapped on my face with a sharp crack.

It somehow cut through all the noise of the ballroom. The entire hall fell into an unnatural silence. I could see the guests starting to whisper and point, their words lost in the buzzing that had taken over my mind.

I watched as Blake's body suddenly went rigid. And in that same instant,Laurel -who had been playing the delicate invalid just seconds ago -rushed forward with surprising agility.

"Thalia, Rebecca, please!" Her voice showed her false concern as she positioned herself between us. "We're all famnily here - can't we talk this through?"

I almost burst into laughter against her words, as her presence between us was just another calculated move - while pretending to mediate, she helped Rebecca hold me in place.

Rebecca's grip tightened further as she encouraged her daughter."There's no need for that! She needs to learn her place in this family!"

I saw Thalia raise her hand again, and gasps and shrieks erupted from the crowd below. Ignoring the searing pain in my stomach, I summoned every ounce of strength I had left and wrenched my body away.

The sudden force of my movement was so violent that it pulled both Rebecca and Laurel off balance as they gripped my arms. In that chaotic moment,Thalia's slap landed squarely across Laurel's face instead of mine.The next moment, a thin line of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"Laurel! You're bleeding!" Rebecca's horrified cry could have won her an Oscar.

The next few moments blurred together. Blake shoved me aside with enough force to send me stumbling into one of the ballroom's marble pillars. The impact sent shockwaves of pain through my abdomen,but I couldn't look away from the sight of him gathering Laurel into his arms.cradling her as if she were made of glass.

The metallic taste filled my moumbee didn't remember shedding. I watched Blake carry Laurel away,his touch so gentle it made my heart ache. The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was James Collins running toward me, panic written across his features.

The first light of dawn filtering through the windows of the Mayo Clinic was overly intense. Every beam felt like a needle behind my eyes as I struggled to consciousness. The familiar antiseptic smell mixed with something else - expensive cologne. Not Blake's - I'd know his anywhere.James.

He must have been watching for signs of waking because the moment my eyes fluttered open, he pressed the call button. "Thank God," he muttered,relief evident in his voice. "You've been out for hours."

I tried to speak, but my throat felt raw. The pain in my stomach had intensified to a burning knot.

"Take it easy," James moved closer to my bed, reaching out to grasp my hand tightly. "Audrey, does the Parkers know about your condition?"

I didn't reply, instinctively trying to pull my hand away from his, but his grip was firm. My silence answered hisquestion.

James let out a soft breath, but his brows remained deeply furrowed. "Even without knowing about your illness, what the Parkers did last night was inexcusable."

"Especially Blake," he continued. "You know, last night, my boss specifically asked me to find a chance to get close to Blake, build a good relationship for future cooperation."

"But seeing what he did to you, I felt..." He paused, looking at me intently."YouI're making the right choice, divorcing him."

I curved my lips into a desolate smile. "I..."

Before I could finish, the door to the hospital room was pushed open. Dr.Evans swept into the room, her expression thunderous.

"What were you doing last night?" She didn't wait for an answer as she checked my vitads. "Extreme emotional distress, physical trauma to the stomach..." Her eyes met mine, sharp with understanding and something like grief. "Do you think your remaining time is too long?"

I closed my eyes against her words, against James's sharp intake of breath.When Dr. Evans finished her examination, hervoice softened slightly. "I understand choosing not to pursue treatment. That's your right. But if you keep putting your body through this kind of stress..."

She didn't need to finish the sentence. We both knew the remaining three months I had left had become uncertain.

After she left, James frowned. "Are you... really not going to seek treatment? Just waiting for death like this?"

I lifted my gaze, forcing a pale smile. "It's cancer, I can do nothing about it.

The treatment is long and painful, with no guarantee of success. I just want to live well for whatever time I have left."

James stared at me. "Audrey, I understand your nature." James's were warm and steady. "Once you've made a decision, nothing will change your mind. But..." He squeezed my fingers gently. "Let me stay with you for whatever time remains. Please?"

I could hear the tenderness in his voice, the unspoken confession beneath

his words. But I had no right to respond to such feelings - not now, not with my remaining timeslipping away like sand through an hourglass.

I frowned slightly and tried to withdraw my hand, but James only tightened his grip, refusing to let go.

"I..." The word barely left my lips when another voice cut through the moment like ice.

"What exactly are you planning to do with her?"