Audrey's PO\

"Mommy, why are you sleeping on the couch?"

Emma's voice yanked me from sleep. My neck ached from a night on the hotel couch.

"Daddy made breakfast! And Dr. Clarke is waiting to say goodbye.Grandpa and Grandma want us back in Sydney!"

I ruffled her hair, trying to focus. "You're up early."

"No I'm not! The handsome uncle and pretty auntie already visited!"

I frowned. "What uncle and auntie?"

"I wanted to wake you, but the uncle said you were too tired and needed sleep!"

Ethan and Astrid. They must have stopped by before heading back to New York.

Emma thrust a small box at me like she was offering the crown jewels,"They left this for you."

1 opened it, and my breath caught. Inside wasn't just jewelry-it was*my*collection. Not samples, but finished pieces with actual retail tags.

A card in Ethan's handwriting sat among them:

*"We bought these from a Long Island boutique. Your designs are in every Original Studio partner store now. Your greatest wish came true. Since you've been given a second chance, don't chain yourself to the past. We can't

wait to see what Q'elegant's director creates next!"*

I bit my lip, fighting tears. They'd left without goodbyes - of course they had to rush back to their careers in New York. But this gift said everything.

Emma touched a necklace. "Can I have this? It's so pretty!"

I pinched her chubby cheek. "It's all yours."

"Food's ready," Adrian called from the table. "After breakfast, we should visit the hospital."

I paused.

"Blake Parker's wound is infected," he added, setting down plates. "Since he was hurt protecting you, we should check on him."

I realized with a jolt that I'd completely forgotten about Blake's condition.Last night I'd been too caught up in seeing my friends, then distracted by Ella's message about Blake stepping back from our collaboration.

*I've changed.* The old me would have worried all night about Blake's slightest discomfort. Now I'd barely thought about his serious injury.

Maybe I really was moving on.

After breakfast, I played with Emma and Snow on the floor.The cat pounced at our toy, no longer hiding from Emma. Watching them made my chest tighten.

Poor Snow had bounced between so many homes in the past months -from me to Ethan, to Blake, almost to Dr. Clarke, and now back to me.Too much change for a cat who just wanted stability.

Adrian finished cleaning up and touched my shoulder.

"Snow's staying with you for good," he said quietly."When we go back to Sydney, keep her home or take her when you trave1. She'll be happy anywhere as long as she's with you."

This simple scene hit me unexpectedly- this peaceful moment with a child and pet was what I'd always wanted. What Blake never gave me.

"You said Blake's wound is infected," I found myself saying. "How is he?"

Adrian's hand paused on Snow's fur."Don't know details. Dr. Clarke's student just mentioned it. We'll find out when we visit."

I stood up. "When do we leave?"

**Adrian's POV*

"We can go now," I said, watching her face.

She didn't know that the urgency in her eyes when asked about Parker was too unmistakable. Had he really never left her heart? Despite her claims she was over him?

I smiled bitterly, turning away for my coat. Who was I to judge? Evelyn was dead, yet I couldn't let her go, still wanting Audrey as her replacement.How could I expect Audrey to break ties with a man who was still alive?

Even understanding this, I stlll had to try. I missed Evelyn too much.

I drove us to the hospital after leaving Emma with Dr. Clarke's students.The arrangement made sense - Emma cried whenever she saw Blake, and we didn't know his condition. A child's crying might disturb his recovery.

At the hospital, a guard stopped us outside Blake's room.

"Mr. Parker's orders. Only Michael Chen and Miss Hayes allowed," he said

flatly. "He speclfically mentioned keeping you out, ma'am."

I raised my eyebrows. "Blake Parker really said that?"

This made no sense. Parker got injured saving Audrey - shouldn't he want her thanks?

"Mr. Parker said since Mrs. Knox isn't who he thought she was, he doesn't want tosee her again. If he'd known that last night, he wouldn't have jumped in front of that trap."

"He considers it bad luck. Seeing her reminds him of someone else, which upsets him and hurts his recovery." He looked at Audrey, "Please don't make this hard for me, ma'am. I'm following orders."

**Audrey's POV*

I stood still, a mocking smile forming as I listened. I wasn't upset. Almost amused,really.

Ella's message suddenly made perfect sense. Blake didn't need to handle our collaboration personally because he'd confirmed I wasn't Audrey Sinclair. His performance was over.

*He hasn't changed at all.*

All that guilt and talk of making amends was just theater. The only person Blake truly loved was himself. Now that he know I wasn't his ex-wife,he could drop the act.

"This is ridiculous!" Adrian's voice rose beside me,"We came to thank him and show concern, and he blocks us? Has he forgotten our collaboration agreement?"

I touched his arm. "Adrian. His design director already contacted me last night."

Adrian looked surprised.

I turned back to the guard. "Tell Mr. Parker I appreciate his help yesterday. I'll work with Ella Murphy on the collaboration and honor the favorable terms I promised."

My voice stayed even. "We're returning to Sydney today and won't likely meet again, so these security measures seem unnecessary."

I looked at Adrian. "Let's go."

He frowned once more at the closed door before we left together, naeither of us looking back.

Back in Australia, Adrian and his parents helped me learn Evelyn's routines. I picked up running Q·elegant quickly. Without my past weighing me down, everything felt lighter - I was more myself than I'd been in years.

A month later, Astrid called with news about Blake and Rachel.

"They've set a wedding date," she told me. "It's happening soon."

Years ago, hearing my best friend was marrying my ex would have torn me apart. I would've worried about Rachel stepping into the same trap I'd barely escaped.

But now?

"Rachel's different," I said, surprised by my own calm. "She's tough. Not a pushover like I was."

"She knows what she wants. Blake might actually be useful to her career."

Astrid went quiet for a beat. "Glad you're not hung up on them anymore."

"But there's something else - do you know why they're rushing it?"

I leaned back,phone tucked between ear and shoulder while signing papers."No idea."

"Mr. William Parker is dying."

My pen dropped. "William?"

"Yeah," Astrid said. "Actually, he nearly died a few months back.Blake called the whole family home. His mom and aunt had funeral arrangements ready. But he pulled through that night... because of Rachel."

"What do you mean?"

"William was confused and kept mistaking every young woman for you.He missed you so much."

"Rachel knows you better than almost anyone," Astrid continued. "Your habits, the things you say. So she played along. Pretended to be you."

"It worked. The old man believed her, and it pulled him back. Now he's sick again. His last wish is to see you and Blake back together."

My throat went dry. "So their wedding is for William?"

"His request,yeah."