**Audrey's POV**

"What?" Ethan stared at Blake. "I'm not changing clothes with you!"

"I won't do it. Worst case, I just get caught..."

Blake's expression hardened. "We're risking ourselves to save you.We didn't even call the police to avoid making you the talk of campus. Now we're here, finding solutions ourselves, and you say you'd rather get caught?"

Ethan bit his lip, clearly intimidated but still resistant.

Blake stepped closer. "Listen carefully. After we distract those men, check that the coast is clear. Then leave pretending to be a dean. No one will look twice at you."

"But what if you get caught?" Ethan askced.

"Me? Get caught?" Blake's lips curled. "They're the ones who should worry.11

I watched with growing impatience. Every second wasted meant those men were closer to finding the key.

"Ethan," I said. "We don't have time. Please change."

Reluctantly, Ethan nodded and began removing his white denima jacket.Blake continued unbuttoning his shirt. In the dim light, I caught glimpses of his chest as the fabric parted.

I turned away,noticing Ethan hesitating before removing his pajama top.

He glanced at me uncomfortably.

I spun around to face the door, giving them privacy.

"Hurry," I whispered.

Behind me, fabric rustled as they exchanged clothes.

"Damn it," Blake muttered.

I glanced back. Blake was struggling with his belt in the dim light.

"Help me with this," he said.

Without thinking, I reached for his belt. My fingers worked the clasp with practiced ease, sliding the leather free. Only when I felt Ethan's eyes on me did I realize how intimate the gesture was.

*This is something only a wife would do...*

Heat flooded my cheeks as I stepped back, avoiding Ethan's gaze. The hurt in his eyes was palpable.

"They're coming back," Blake whispered.

We froze, listening to approaching footsteps. Two voices grew clearer.

"You were right," one said. "I couldn't find the key downstairs, so I asked the old man watching the dorm. He said many student council members have keys to this closet."

"Ethan Davies is on the council!" the other replied. "No wonder we couldn't find him anywhere! He's been hiding in here all along!"

My heart raced as I looked at Blake. He had finished changing into Ethan'

s blue pajamas and white jacket. The clothes looked ridiculous on him -the sleeves too short, the pants barely reaching his ankles.

Blake grabbed my hand. "When we get out, we run," he whispered."Understand?"

I nodded, fingers tightening around his. "I know."

The key entered the lock. Blake positioned us near the door.

"Remember," he whispered to Ethan, "wait until we've led them away."

The door swung open. Bright light flooded in, momentarily blinding me.Blake pulled me forward, and we burst into the corridor.

"There he is!" one man shouted. "Blue pajamas, denim jacket, white slippers-it's him!"

The men chased after us while calling the others for backup, trying to trap us from all sides.

Blake held my hand tight as we ran.

We rushed down the stairwell, floor after floor, finally pushing past the men who tried to block the exit. We kept running across campus.

The men we'd lured out followed us, yelling as they gave chase.

As Blake pulled me along, I kept checking over my shoulder to see how close they were.

*I once thought learningto dance, drink, and race cars with Rachel was my wildest experience. But now I know what true craziness is. Blake Parker, the untouchable CEO of a global corporation, running across a college campus at midnight in a student's pajamas, holding mv hand Like

something from a TV drama. If I told anyone, they'd never believe me.*

*Now I get why Blake had campus security remove those black vans earlier.*

Cool air hit my face as we sprinted across campus. Shouts followed,growing distant as we put space between us. The campus was nearly deserted. our footsteps and breathing the only sounds breaking the silence.

We rounded buildings, zigzagging to throw off our pursuers. Dark figures kept following, determined and unrelenting.

My lungs began to burn. Each breath became harder than the last. The familiar tightness in my chest returned - the one I'd been trying to ignore for months. My vision blurred.

My steps faltered. Blake tugged my hand, but my legs fet like lead.

"Blake," I gasped, clutching my chest. "I can't run anymore."

**Blake's POV**

"How long have we been running? You - " I turned, irritated by the delay.

The words died when I saw her face. In the glow of a nearby streetlamp,Audrey's skin was paper-white, her lips almost blue. She was doubled over,one hand pressed against her chest.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked, alarm replacing irritation.

She met my eyes. breathing labored. "I can't run anymore."

Something wasn't right. We hadn't been running that long - not long enough for someone to be this exhausted. I gripped her wrist tighter,feeling her racing pulse.

"Go without me," she managed between gasps. "They won't hurt a woman.

I'll be fine, I-"

I didn't let her finish. In one swift motion, I scooped her into my arms.She letout a startled cry, her arms wrapping around my neck.

She was so light - too light. A chill ran through me as I felt her bones beneath my fingers. How had I not noticed?

A memory surfaced - medical journals, articles on terminal illnesses.Weight loss, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue... symptoms of late-stage cancer.

My heart clenched at the thought.

"Are you sick?" I asked, my voice harsher than intended as I carried her.

Audrey stiffened, her face suddenly guarded. "No, I'm just... out of shape."

I knew she was lying. The Audrey I married had stamina - she could spend hours at the mansion with my grandfather, playing chess and cooking without showing fatigue. The woman in my arms now could barely run for ten minutes.

"Blake Parker, are you sure you can carry me all this way?" she asked,clearly changing the subject.

I didn't answer, focusing on putting distance between us and our pursuers.In the moonlight, Audrey's profile was sharp, her cheekbones too pronounced, her collarbones visible.

*When did she get so thin?*

"You're sick, aren't you?" I asked again, quieter.

She hesitated, eyes darting away. "I'm not sick. I'm just tired."

I wanted to press further, but shouts reminded me we weren't safe yet.I quickened my pace, heading for the parking lot.

We reached the car without incident. I set Audrey down carefully in the passenger seat, noting her slight wince. After ensuring she was secure, I circled to the driver's side.

"I'm taking you to the hospital," I said, starting the engine.

"No!" Audrey's response was immediate. "I don't need a hospital. I'm fine."

I glared at her. "You call this fine? Look at yourself!" I gestured toward the mirror. "You're white as a sheet!"

Audrey glanced at her reflection and flinched. Even she couldn't deny the evidence.

"Audrey Sinclair, you're always so good at taking care of others, but this is how you take care of yourself?"

She looked away, lips pressed into a thin line. I recognized that expression - she was shutting down, retreating behind walls I'd never been able to breach.

I was about to push further when she suddenly tensed, eyes fixed on the side mirror.

"Blake," she said. "They're coming after us."