**Blake's POV**

"Let's go." Rachel glanced at me, then looked toward the bedroom where Evelyn and Emma were staying. She released a barely noticeable sigh.'′′W′re done here."

I pulled my gaze away, giving Rachel an apologetic look. "Thanks for handling that."

I stood, said a quick goodbye to Adrian, and followed Rachel out.

"Your head's not in the game."

As soon as the elevator doors closed, Rachel turned to me. "You still think she's Audrey,don't you?"

I caught my reflection in the metal doors, a bitter smile forming."No."

"I just miss her."

The night Audrey died, I'd gone to her grave with sleeping pills,confessing everything before taking the whole bottle. My family saved me,but I fell into darkness after that. I even tried shooting myself, desperate to find her in whatever came next.

Astrid's furious voice still echoed in my head: "What good is dying? Will that bring Audrey back?"

"She was kind. She went to heaven."

"But you? A monster like you would go straight to hell. Even If you die.

you'll never see her!"

I opened my eyes. "Every time I see Adrian's wife, I wonder... if I'd figured things out sooner, been better to Audrey... would I feel less guilty now?"

"You wouldn't."

Rachel's eyes searched mine. "What you did to Audrey - finding the truth earlier wouldn't have fixed it."

She looked away. "If seeing this woman keeps triggering you... I'll handle the Q·elegant communications from now on."

"You need to stay away from her. I'm worried you'll spiral again if you keep seeing her."

I said nothing for a long time. Only when the doors opened did I exhale and nod."You're right."

I missed Audrey too much. I kept seeing her in this stranger's face.

"Hey," Rachel said as we stepped out. "Did you bring Snow on this trip?"

"Yeah. Couldn't leave her at the hotel."

After my suicide attempt, I'd been unconscious for over a month. During that time,Laurel's remaining influence targeted Audrey's friends. When I woke up, I immediately shut everything down- had Laurel thrown in jail and shipped Thalia and Olivia to boarding school overseas, cutting them off financíally.

I'd tried repeatedly to get Snow from Ethan but got nowhere. Only when he graduated and faced real-world pressures - rent, moving, job hunting -

did he finally give in.

Since then, I'd treated that cat like royalty. Snow went everywhere with me.Sometimes I even held her during board meetings.

No way was I leaving her alone on this trip.

"Dr. Clarke likes cats," Rachel said with a smile. "Why not give Snow to him? Find her a better home?"

I froze mid-step and turned to her, my voice dropping. "What did you just say?"

This was Audrey's cat. Rachel knew exactly what Snow meant to me.

And now she wanted me to give her away? Like some unwanted gift?

"Blake." Rachel's expression turned serious. "I get that Snow matters because he was Audrey's."

"But if Ethan couldn't make time for him, can you? You even drag him to meetings. Your suits are covered in white fur."

"That's not a good look for Parker Group's CEO."

I felt my expression darkening, but Rachel pushed through anyway.

"Dr. Clarke is old and loves cats. Snow would be better off with him."

She took a deep breath, meeting my gaze. "Blake, Audrey's gone. Keeping her cat won't change that. You work constantly, and Snow has to follow you everywhere."

"Instead of making her travel with you and risking her getting lost, give her to Dr. Clarke. She'd have a stable home in that big villa."

Each word stabbed me. Logically, Rachel was right.

Finding Snow an owner who loved cats and had time for her made sense.

But this was Audrey's cat.

When she left, she took nothing else - not even that rusted pendant.

Snow was my last connection to her.

"Blake." Seeing my silence, Rachel moved closer and grabbed my arm."I miss her too. But keeping her cat won't help either of us."

"There are better ways to remember her."

"Snow was crucial to her," Isaid, removing her hand from my arm. "She made sure that cat was in our divorce papers."

"This isn't up for debate. I'm not giving Snow away. I'll try to keep the cat hair off my suits, but that's it."

I headed for the exit without looking back.

Rachel bit her lip and hurried after me. "But I already promised Dr. Clarke!

At least bring Snow to meet him! He saved your life, Blake. We can't go back on this."

I didn't slow down. "You made promises, not me. If you want to give him a cat, buy one yourself."

"Snow stays with me. Period."

**Adrian's POV**

After our guests left, I found Audrey had dressed Emma in a princess

outfit and fixed her hair.

"Daddy!" Emma burst through the door and threw herself into my arms."Having a mommy is so awesome!"

She wiggled free to twirl in her dress. "Look how pretty Mommy made me!"

"Don't I look like the Snow Princess?"

I couldn't help smiling at her excitement.

I crouched down and cupped her face, kissing her cheek. "You've always been a princess, sweetheart. Daddy and Mommy's princess."

Emma beamed. "Yes! With Mommy taking care of me, I'm a real princess now!"

She ran to Audrey and grabbed her finger. "Mommy, Emma loves you most!"

Audrey smiled, bending down to ruffle her hair. "And our Emma is the happiest princess around."

With the girl in her arms, she looked at me.′′Wshould go.Dr. Clarke's waiting."

I nodded, gathered our gifts, and led them to the elevator.

When the doors closed, I found myself staring at Audrey.

Emma in her arms had the same face. Mother and daughter, one big and one small, standing there looking so much like a real family.

For a moment, I could almost believe she was truly Evelyn.

But they couldn't be more different.

I closed my eyes and saw Evelyn's face, twisted with desperation and pain -

"Adrian, I can't take this anymore! Once this baby comes,I want a divorce!"

"You can't control me like this! You can't keep me locked away!"

"There's nothing wrong with me! Let me out of here!"

"I don't love you, Adrian. Please stop this. You're torturing me..."

"Daddy?" Emma's voice yanked me back to reality.

I blinked, finding Emma staring up at me while Audrey watched with that guarded expression. Something in me settled at the sight of them. I couldn't help but smile.

That was then. This is now.

The old Evelyn was gone, replaced by this woman who wore her face but didn't carry her disappointments.

No matter what. I would transform this woman into a brand new Evelyn!

One who wouldn't get sick, wouldn't go mad, wouldn't tell me she didn't love me, wouldn't desperately try to leave me.

With that thought, I took a deep breath, then took Emma from her arms and caught Audrey's hand before she could pull away. Her fingers stiffened in mine, but I pretended not to notice as I led them out of the elevator.

The drive to Dr. Clarke's place took barely five minutes. His villa sat on a

quiet stretch of shoreline, partially hidden by old oak trees.

We followed the butler through the entrance hall. Before we even reached the living room, I heard Clarke's voice floating down the hallway.

"Snow, huh? That's a good name for you. Are you sure Blake really giving her up?"