**Audrey's POV*

"I didn't - what does this have to do with me? Your daughter - " Rachel blurted out, then stopped herself mid-sentence.

She quickly switched to a concerned tone. "Your daughter was kidnapped?What happened?"

That slip told me everything I needed to know. "It was you who arranged it,wasn't it?"

Her instinctive denial before I'd even explained what happened gave her away completely. I should've connected the dots sooner. Who else had access to Parker Group vehicles? Who could get past company security without questions? Who knew exactly when Adrian and I would return to the hotel?

Rachel had played it perfectly - intercepting us on the street to create a public scene while her hired thugs grabbed Emma. A built-in alibi while executing her plan.

"I didn't arrange anything!" Her voice shot up defensively. "When your daughter was kidnapped. I was arguing with you and Adrian in the middle of the street! There's livestream footage, videos, witnesses everywhere!"

"I had absolutely nothing to do with any kidnapping or remote directing!"

I couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "Miss Hayes,why so worked up?"

"I never told you when Emma was kidnapped, did I? How are you so certain you were arguing with me at the exact moment it happened?"

The line went quiet except for her heavy breathing. Caught in her own lie.

Years ago, that panicked breathing would've worried me. I'd have felt protective of my friend who'd been through so much. I would've done anything to prevent her from feeling upser. Now I just felt contempt.

I took a deep breath. 'Miss Hayes. Oue of exeuses?"

"Adrian and 1 will get to the bocons of Emma's kidnapping. Right now.T m taking Blake so the bospital"

"If anything happens ao hean. you can foeget your wedding. You'll be too busy dealing with aherges froms me. Adeian, Blake, and Henry Hartford.Goodbye."

I hung up before she caad msgiond.

She called right back, lest frowned. took the phone fromT my hand,and answered.

Those guys you hired were victous. he said coldly. "They started out Juet wanting ransom for the girl bus once they recognized Mr. Parker wan there to rescue her, they made bim trade places ac hosrage."

"He didn't eren besmaze to agoee."

"Then they decided they'd stab borh him and the kid to death after gerting paid. If me and the other securizy guys hadn't foughr like hell. Parker would be dead right now."

"Some fiancee you are. arranging people to kill the man you're suspposed to marry.Unbelievable."

He hung up, cutting her off mid-prooest

**Rnchel's PO\

I stared at my silent phone, stommed. Wow voukse thitse be

Mom's kidnapopers hurt Blake? Thie woes y the plase

I dropped my phone and roshed dowwemarse tor the seeand ffaar of Twilight Mansion. "Mom!

I reached the first floor. emotions in tammon. "Blate & bedh quatth lise sald your people not only kidnapped ther little airt buse mede Hlake crade himself as hostage and then tried to kilt beeh of them! What the hell ts going on?"

Mom sat on the sofa with her legs chossed. easeally touehing ap her makeup. "You already know whet happened. Thar a etaetly whet E rold them to do."

The blood drained from my face. "I only asked you to have that foul year old kidnapped to make Adrian and that batcla Eyatya ieave Vew Yoeler

"I never said anything about killing aoyone And mey noF any made Blake a hostage but almost killed bim and Emoal What wind of gayofisa did you hire?"

Seeing how upset 1 was, Mom snapped ber compaet mirtar sfrut ancha sharp click.

She looked at me with cold indufeteoce. I bindd grovpiar afitee gom nuasttmn Everything they did was under my malvansnes

She gave me a sidelong glance. Didas yote amd itane atranaty got wre marriage license to avoid complicanism

I gaspod, "Yes, but - "

"But what? With that license, If Blake died now, you'd get at least half his assots."

"Given what he's worth, even half would set our entire family up for life.Since he volunteered to save the girl, I figured we might as well let him die doing it."

"Dying while savIng someone looks like a tragic accident. This way, we'd get rid of Blake, take what rightfully belongs to our family, and eliminate Adrian and Evelyn's child at the same time."

"With their daughter dead, they'd leave New York quickly and stop Interfering with your business."

She smiled elegantly, pleased with herself."No need to thank me. Just doing what any mother would for her daughter."

My heart turned to ice."Mom, you're confused! We have the license but haven't had the wedding ceremony!"

"Most people wouldn't consider me his widow! And if he dies right after we got the license but before the wedding, don't you think I'd be the obvlous suspect?"

1 bit my lip, fighting tears. "Don't you understand? I'm not marrying Blake just for his money! I actually like him-have for years!"

"I finally became his fiancée and was abouIt to marry him and be with him..how could you try to harm him?"

Mom rolled her eyes. "That's exactly why I had to move quickly. I don't want you turning out like your sister."

"Feelings are useless. Even without this opportunity, I would've found another way to deal with Blake eventually. This just moved up the timeline."

She looked at me curiously. "Since you know about it now, does that mean it worked? Did they manage to kill him?"

She picked up her phone to check the news."Let me see..."

"Mom." I sniffled, taking the phone from her hand. "Blake didn't die. But our plan is exposed."

I looked at her hopelessly. "He's badly hurt - probably can't even make our wedding.And if he wakes up... he won't let us get away with this."

I couldn't stop the tears streaming down my face. "You ruined me."

Momn froze. "He didn't die?"

The smug smile vanished from her face, replaced by shock. "How? I specifically-"

She furrowed her brow and grabbed her phone back, showing me the news article. "Look - earlier reports said they found bodies in the Parker Group garage. Police sealed off the scene and Blake's injured security team is talking to investigators..."