Chapter 2

Audrey pushed open the heavy wooden door of the VIP suite at the Manhattan West Side Private Hospital. The overwhelming scent of hundreds of expensive lilies assaulted her nose. The room looked like a high-end florist shop. The visual proof of how much Dozier pampered Blake made Audrey's stomach churn with disgust.

Blake sat propped up against the hospital pillows. She wore a pale pink silk nightgown that draped perfectly over her thin frame. She looked up, widening her eyes to project a fragile, helpless innocence.

A wave of physiological nausea rolled through Audrey's gut.

Eleanor Vance, a prominent Upper East Side socialite, stepped directly in front of the bed. She crossed her arms, creating a physical barricade between Audrey and Blake. Eleanor's eyes scanned Audrey with blatant hostility.

"That fabric has such a... rustic charm to it. It reminds me of my summers in the countryside," Eleanor said, her voice dripping with condescension as she turned to a friend. "Authenticity is so refreshing, isn't it?"

Her mocking voice bounced off the sterile walls. Two nurses adjusting the IV bags paused and glanced over.

Audrey didn't blink. She let her gaze slide over Eleanor's face, completely devoid of emotion, and looked at the wall behind her. The absolute silence and lack of reaction stripped Eleanor of her power, leaving the socialite standing there looking foolish.

Blake reached out a pale, trembling hand and lightly touched Eleanor's arm. "Eleanor, please. Be nice to my sister."

The sickly-sweet tone grated against Audrey's eardrums. It was the perfect execution of Blake's signature manipulation.

Eleanor scoffed. "Why should I? She's just keeping the Hodge wife title warm for you anyway."

The words hit their mark. A sharp pain spiked behind Audrey's ribs. Her fingertips twitched, but she forced her hands to remain still at her sides.

Audrey took two large steps forward. She raised the thick stack of discharge papers and slammed them down onto the metal rolling table. The sharp, loud crack made everyone in the room jump. The air instantly shifted, the power returning to Audrey.

"You have exactly five minutes to get your things together," Audrey said. Her voice was pure ice.

Blake's lower lip trembled, but a dark, ugly shadow flickered in her eyes for a split second before she hid it.

The suffocating silence in the room was shattered by the buzzing of Audrey's phone in her purse. She pulled it out. The screen read 'Genevieve'.

Audrey turned her back to the bed and walked to the large window overlooking the street. She swiped the screen to answer, needing a moment away from the toxic air of the room. She could feel the stares of the two women burning into her spine.

"Why didn't you answer my call last night?" Genevieve's shrill voice blasted through the speaker.

The blatant anger and lack of any greeting felt like a physical slap to Audrey's face.

"I was busy," Audrey said softly.

"I don't care," Genevieve snapped. "Blake is coming home today. You need to move your things out of the master bedroom and let her sleep there. She needs the best mattress for her back."

The sheer absurdity of the demand punched the breath out of Audrey. A cold, bitter laugh bubbled up in her throat.

"No," Audrey said. Her voice dropped an octave, vibrating with cold finality.

"Excuse me? You ungrateful-"

Audrey pulled the phone away from her ear. She tapped the red button, cutting off the toxic stream of words. Her thumb moved quickly, blocking the number entirely. The swift, physical action severed the emotional blackmail. A numb, hollow sense of relief washed over her chest.

She turned around. Blake was leaning back against the pillows, a smug, victorious smile playing on her lips.

The puzzle pieces snapped together in Audrey's mind. Blake had orchestrated that phone call. The heat of pure rage ignited in Audrey's chest, burning away the numbness.

Audrey walked slowly to the edge of the bed. She leaned down, bringing her face inches from Blake's. "Keep your pathetic little games to yourself, Blake. Or I will make you regret it."

The raw menace in Audrey's voice made Blake flinch. She shrank back against the headboard.

The hospital door swung open. A male nurse walked in with a luggage cart. "Ready for your bags, Ms. Atkins."

The heavy tension in the room snapped. Everyone plastered their polite masks back onto their faces.

They took the elevator down to the underground parking garage. Eleanor linked her arm through Blake's, practically carrying her. They walked a few paces ahead, a united front that physically pushed Audrey out of their circle.

Audrey walked straight to the driver's side of her Porsche. She pressed the unlock button on her key fob. She refused to play the role of their chauffeur.

Before she could pull the handle, Blake lunged forward and yanked open the passenger side door.

"I get terrible carsickness," Blake said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "I need the front seat."

It was a blatant territorial challenge. The passenger seat of Audrey's car was the wife's seat.

Audrey stared at her over the roof of the car. "Shut the door," she said coldly.

Blake's smile faltered. She hesitated, then slammed the passenger door shut with a frustrated huff.

Audrey reached into the open window and hit the central locking button. The heavy locks clicked down with a loud thud.

Blake pulled on the handle. It didn't budge. She stood frozen, her fake smile slipping.

Audrey pointed a single finger at the rear door. "Get in the back."

The command left absolutely no room for debate.

Blake bit her lip, her eyes shining with genuine, venomous hatred. She stomped to the rear door and yanked the handle. It didn't open either. She rattled it twice, her face turning red.

Audrey pressed the unlock button on her key fob twice-a selective unlock that opened only the rear passenger door. A soft click sounded.

Blake yanked the back door open and slid onto the leather seat.

Eleanor marched up to the driver's window and slapped her palm against the glass. "I'm telling Dozier how you're treating her!"

Audrey ignored her. She put the car in drive and slammed her foot on the gas pedal. The Porsche roared to life, leaving Eleanor coughing in a cloud of exhaust fumes.

The car merged onto the busy Manhattan streets. The force of the acceleration pushed Audrey back into her seat. The physical pressure brought a fleeting sense of freedom. Her tight jaw muscles finally relaxed a fraction.

From the back seat, Blake pulled out her phone. She tapped the screen. Dozier's deep, velvety voice suddenly filled the car.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get away from the meeting to pick you up, Blake. Rest well. I'll see you at home tonight."

Blake had put his voicemail on speaker. The gentle, caring tone Dozier used for Blake was the exact opposite of the cold cruelty he showed Audrey. The sound of his voice was a dull blade sawing against Audrey's heart.

Audrey's hand shot out to the center console. She cranked the volume dial on the car stereo all the way to the right.

A blast of deafening, aggressive heavy metal music exploded through the premium speakers. The screaming guitars and pounding drums completely drowned out Dozier's voice.

Blake shrieked and slapped both hands over her ears. "Turn it off!"

Audrey glanced up at the rearview mirror. She watched Blake cowering in the back seat, her face twisted in discomfort. A slow, ice-cold smile spread across Audrey's lips.