**Audrey's POV**

"What the hell do you want to do?" Astrid shouted, throwing her arms out in front of me as the security guards closed in.

The guards circled us, cutting off our escape route. Their faces might have been blank, but their intentions couldn't have been clearer.

Rachel lunged forward and grabbed Thalia's arm. "Are you insane? This is Mrs. Knox from the Australian Parker family! Her husband Adrian Knox is a major player in Australian business, and they're partnering with Parker Group's jewelry division!"

Her voice cracked with urgency. "You're not just wrecking the deal your brother fought for - you're pushing Parker Group closer to bankruptcy!"

Thalia jerked away with a disgusted look. "So what if she's connected? She can't just hit me! Since when does having money mean you can slap people whenever you feel like it?"

"Exactly!" Olivia piped up, her hand still pressed against her cheek. "My own mother wouldn't dare hit me like that!"

"Please," Olivia rolled her eyes. "If this Knox woman is such hot shit,why's she here cosplaying a dead girl?"

"Right." Thalia nodded. "No self-respecting heiress would stoop to being someone's stand-in - especially not for garbage like Audrey. That nobody who grew up in the sticks because her own parents couldn't stand her!"

A guard grabbed Rachel's arm and yanked her backward. She twisted against his grip, fighting to break free.

"Let go of mel" she snapped."T"m Blake Parker's finncée!"

Two more guards moved in, seizing her shoulders and forcing her to her knees.

Looking at Rachel pinned down like that made my stomach clench.barely recognized the carefree girl I once knew. Maybe this was what four years as a vegetative patient did to you. Maybe it taught you that life was too short not to grab whatever happiness you could find, even if it meant clawing your way into a famlly that would never fully accept you.

"Hold them down and slap them!" Thalia barked, leaning against a display counter with a smirk. "Make them kneel!"

Olivia clapped like she was at a show. "Yeah! Beat their faces until you can't recognize them! I'm sick of looking at Audrey's face on this one - makes me want to puke!"

"You're right," Thalia's eyes lit up. "Smash her face!"

"I don't care whose body double you are," Olivia sneered my way, "but in New York, you mess with us, you pay the price!"

Rachel struggled harder. "Stop this right now! I'm about to be a Parker myself! You need to listen to me!"

Thalia laughed - a cold, harsh sound. "Don't buy that bullshit. That wedding's just theater for my dying grandfather. Even if it happens, my brother's never given a damn about her."

"You think being his wife gives you power? Do what I said -beat them!And If she keeps getting in the way, ddrag her over and beat her too!"

She turned to Rachel with lake sweetness, "Weren't Audrey and Astrid

your besties back in the day? Getting beaten alongalde them - how poetlel You must be thrilled to share their fate!"

Thalia's laughter echoed as Rachel's face drained of color. The guard holding her tightened his grip,yanking her head back by her halr.

"What a joke you are," Astrid called out to Rachel, "Ever since you woke up、you've been killing yourselfto please Blake and his family. And what's it gotten you?"

"Look at yourself. No matter how hard you try, to the Parkers,you'll always be less than their dogs!"

I watched Rachel crumble under Astrid's wwords. Harsh,but true.

"Astrid." I squeezed her shoulder. "I got this."

She turned, confused, but I was already moving. I took a breath, balled my fist, and slammed it into the face of the guard almost touching Astrid.

He staggered back, blood streaming from his nose, eyes wide with shock.Guess he didn't expect someone my size to hit that hard.

"Don't worry," I handed Astrid my bag. "I said I'd protect you, didn't I?"

The other guards froze, like they couldn't process what just happened.

"Fair warning," I announced, my voice calm. "I've been trainíng in Australia with three instructors - two former world champions in boxing and MMA, plus an ex-special forces soldier."

"Before you try anything, think about whatever training you've had, and whether you stand a chance."

One guard found his voice, "You're just a woman, even if - "

I shut him up with a kick to the face. His body hit the floor with a loud crack, and the store went dead silent.

"Evelyn..." Astrid stared at me, stunned.

She kept staring at me, finally noticing the muscle definition visible under my clothes. What she didn't know was that since returning to Sydney,when I wasn't running Q·elegant, I was training. No one would always be there to protect me, but I could damn well learn to protect myself.

"After being sick so long, I needed to build my strength back," I shrugged."See? Told you I could handle this."

I turned to the remaining guards. "Anyone else? I only ever spar with my trainers, and they're too good for me to beat. Been wanting some real practice..."

They exchanged panicked looks and bolted for the door, leaving Thalia standing alone.

"Get back here!" she screamed after them, face twisted with fear. "Don't you dare leave!"

"So," I walked toward Thalia as she backed against the counter."What were you just ordering those guards to do to us?"

Olivia dropped to her knees. "I didn't say anything! It was all her idea!"She pointed at Thalia, frantic. "Take it up with her - I had nothing to do with this!"

"Olivia!" Thalia gasped. "What the hell?"

"What do you expect me to say?" Olivia's voice rose. "I told you I didn't want to go out today! You dragged me here to mess with Astrid! You

called the guards over, you told them to slap them! I just agreed with you -why should I get the same punishment as you?"

She scrambled to her feet and backed away, not stopping until she reached the store entrance. Then she turned and ran, her heels clicking rapidly down the hall until the sound faded completely.

"Looks like the princess just got dumped by her sidekick," Astrid smirked."Tough break."

Thalia's hands curled into fists, her knuckles white. "You already hit me,and my guys never even touched you. I didn't do anything to deserve more."

Her voice shook slightly, but she lifted her chin."If you touch me again,my brother will destroy you. I don't care how big you are in Australia-this is New York, and Parkers run this city. Unless you want to be trapped here, unable to go home, you'd better back off!"

I bit back a smile. In all my years with Blake, I'd never seen his sister actually afraid of me. The mighty Parker princess looked a lot less intimidating without her bodyguards backing her up.

"Mrs. Knox." Rachel stepped between us, her hand lightly touching Thalia's arm. "Let's not make this worse. The partnership - "

"Wow." Astrid shook her head. "You're seriously defending her? The same girl who just ordered guards to rough us up - including you?"

"What happened to you? You used to race cars with us at midnight. Party till sunrise. Never cared what anyone thought."

Astrid nodded toward Thalia. "Now you're apologizing to people who treat you like dirt?"

Rachel pulled away. "People change. What we did as kids doesn't work in the real world."

She glanced my way. "Mrs. Knox. please consider the business between your husband and-"