Chapter 35

Audrey's POV

When the world stopped spinning, a heavy silence filled the cabin. Through the fractured glass of the windshield, I saw blurry figures running toward the wreckage. Astrid and Felix were in the lead, their faces etched with frantic concern.

"Audrey!" Astrid’s voice broke through the ringing in my ears. "Can you hear me? Please, tell me you’re okay!"

But another voice cut through the chaos first—one that was sharper, filled with a frantic energy I hadn't heard in years. "How could you be so reckless? Are you hurt?"

For a fleeting second, my heart skipped a beat. The concern in Blake’s tone was so familiar, so visceral. But as my vision cleared, the cold truth settled in. He wasn't looking at me. He didn't even glance at my crumpled car as he sprinted past, heading straight for Laurel’s vehicle.

A hollow smile touched my lips. How predictable. Even now, after she had lost control and forced us both off the track, his world still revolved around her.

"Audrey, look at me!" Astrid was at my window, her face pale.

"I'm fine," I managed to say, though my voice was raspy. I tried to move, feeling the dull ache of the impact, but no sharp pain followed.

"That was completely unacceptable!" Astrid’s eyes were bright with fury. "She cut across the line on purpose—we all saw it!"

"Can you move your hands?" Felix asked urgently, reaching through the door to assist me. "Any dizziness?"

Beyond them, I caught Blake’s eye for a fraction of a second. He was lifting Laurel from her seat with exquisite care, cradling her as if she were made of the finest porcelain. She leaned her head against his shoulder, looking every bit the delicate victim. The scene was perfectly composed, yet it made my chest ache with a pain far worse than any concussion.

"Unbelievable," Astrid whispered, her voice trembling with rage. "He doesn't even see you, Audrey. You're his wife, and he's carrying her off like she's the only one who matters."

A paramedic arrived, and they carefully moved me onto a stretcher. I watched Felix stare at Blake’s retreating back, his expression shifting from confusion to a dawning, terrible realization.

"Wait..." Felix turned to Astrid, his voice low. "You mean... Audrey is Blake’s wife?"

"For now," Astrid replied bitterly. "Though he seems more interested in protecting his public 'partner' than his own family."

The hospital check-up was mercifully brief.

"A mild concussion and some bruising," the doctor announced. "You were very lucky, Mrs. Parker. The safety cell of the car did its job."

Astrid, who had been pacing the room like a caged tiger, finally sat beside my bed. "You scared me to death, Audrey! I never should have let you get on that track with an amateur like her. Fifty million isn't worth your life."

"It's over now, Astrid," I said softly, though the mention of our late friend Rachel made my throat tighten. Astrid saw the shadow in my eyes and pulled me into a fierce hug. She didn't know that in three months, no doctor would be able to give me a clean bill of health.

"It wasn't just an accident," Felix said, leaning against the wall with a grim expression. "Laurel’s conduct was beyond reckless. In a professional setting, this would lead to a permanent ban. We have the footage, Audrey."

"Exactly!" Astrid’s eyes lit up. "Blake has been dragging his feet on the divorce, right? Use this! Tell him if he doesn't sign the papers and let you go, we’ll release the footage of the 'Golden Girl' causing a high-speed collision. Her career wouldn't survive the scandal, and he knows it."

I stared at the ceiling, the idea taking root. It was a cold, calculated move—the kind Blake would use. Using his need to protect Laurel as leverage to gain my freedom was a bitter irony. Three years of trying to be the perfect wife, all leading to a negotiation over a crash.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. Michael, Blake’s lead assistant, stood there with an uncharacteristically awkward expression.

"Mrs. Parker," he said, clearing his throat. "Mr. Parker... is asking to see you."