My heart stopped.
"Did you enjoy your little show, Audrey?"That voice. Low. Dangerous. Familiar.
Simon.
He was too close—his breath brushing against my skin, his eyes unreadable but burning with something dark and unspoken.
"Because I did," he said softly, tilting his head. "Watching you walk through this place like you own it. Like the queen you are."
My breath hitched. "You shouldn't be here."
"Neither should he," Simon murmured, glancing in the direction Jeremy had gone. His tone hardened. "But I'm not letting him win this time."
"Simon," I whispered, my voice trembling between warning and surrender. "This isn't a game."
He leaned closer, his words a whisper that made my pulse quicken. "Then tell me, Audrey… why are you trembling?"
Because I didn't know if I wanted to run—or stay.
His hand pressed firmly against the wall beside my head, caging me in. I could smell the faint trace of his cologne—woodsy, familiar, dangerous. My pulse betrayed me, pounding hard enough that I was sure he could feel it.
"Simon," I breathed, forcing myself to meet his eyes. "Let go."
He didn't.Instead, his gaze searched my face, slow and deliberate, like he was reading a story only he could understand. "You really think I'm going to stand by while he parades another woman in front of you?" he said quietly. "That man doesn't deserve your tears, Audrey."
"I didn't ask for your opinion," I snapped, even though my voice trembled halfway through.
He gave a low, humorless laugh. "You never do. You just act like nothing touches you. Like you don't feel a damn thing."
"Maybe I don't," I lied.
His jaw tightened, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Then why are your hands shaking?"
I hated that he noticed. I hated even more that part of me wanted him to.
For a moment, the noise of the mall faded. It was just us—the sound of our breaths, the heat between us, the weight of everything unsaid.
"Jeremy made his choice," I said finally. "And I've made mine."
"Which is?"
"To walk away."
Simon leaned closer, his breath brushing my ear. "You say that like you're convincing yourself, not me."
I turned my face toward him, trying to steady the storm inside me. "You're playing with fire, Simon."
His lips curved. "Then burn with me."
My heart stuttered. For one terrifying second, I almost gave in—almost let myself fall into that pull I'd spent months denying. But then I remembered Jeremy's voice, the way he'd said 'You'll never escape my grasp.'
I straightened, breaking free of Simon's hold. "I've had enough men trying to control me for one lifetime."
He let me go—but his eyes didn't move. "Then take control," he said softly. "Show them all who Audrey Shepherd Anderson really is."
Something inside me shifted. I didn't have the words yet, but I knew this moment—this crack in my chest, this rush of fury and heartbreak—was the beginning of something new.
So I walked away, chin high, heart heavy, the echo of his voice following me like a challenge I wasn't ready to face.
Just when I thought I could finally breathe, my phone buzzed in my hand.Mum.
I sighed, already feeling the heaviness in my chest return. "Mum, I'm heading home soon," I said before she could even speak.
"Emptying the entire mall still didn't do anything to change your mood?" Her voice was soft but laced with that familiar mix of concern and quiet judgment only mothers seem to master.
I closed my eyes, pressing the phone tighter against my ear. "Mum, I never had real friends. They all stuck around because of who I am — your daughter. Not even that could help. I just… I just want to go to sleep."
She sighed on the other end. "Darling, you can't spend your life hiding under silk sheets. Having a baby isn't the end of the world. You need to get a hold of your life, Audrey. Maybe start working again — your father's law firm, the foundation, or perhaps the tech company. Pick whichever feels right."
Her words stung, not because they were harsh, but because they were true.For days I'd been drifting — a beautiful shell with no direction.
"Yes, Mother," I said finally, trying to sound stronger than I felt. "Getting my life back sounds like a good place to start. I'll… join the company."
"Oh, wonderful!" she exclaimed, the brightness in her tone almost enough to make me smile. "And I completely forgot to tell you — the foundation dinner is tomorrow night. It's happening here, at the house."
I froze. "Wait… does that mean the whole family will be there?"
"That's right. Though not everyone — your uncles won't make it, and your grandmother and Aunt Isabella are still abroad. Eden promised to come home, though. You miss your little sister, don't you?"
A small, involuntary smile tugged at my lips. "Yeah. Eden knows everything anyway, so it's okay."
"Good. It's time you stopped running, Audrey." Her voice softened. "You've been through hell, I know that. But hiding won't fix anything."
"I know, Mum," I whispered. My throat tightened, but I forced the words out. "I'll be there."
"Alright, darling," she said, her voice warm again. "Get some rest. Tomorrow is a new day."
"Right," I murmured, ending the call.
The screen went dark, and for a long moment, I just stared at my reflection in it — the woman staring back looked nothing like the one who used to smile effortlessly in photo ops and charity galas.
I was no longer Jeremy's wife.No longer the perfect daughter the Andersons paraded around.
I was just… me. And for the first time in years, I didn't know what that meant.
The Anderson Mansion gleamed under the golden evening lights, every marble column and chandelier announcing that the night was meant to impress.Cars lined the driveway, photographers hovered near the entrance, and I — wrapped in a fitted black gown with a daring low back — tried to remember how to breathe.
I hadn't attended a public event since… him.Since my life turned into gossip fodder and pity stares.
But tonight wasn't about hiding.It was about reclaiming every piece of myself I'd let fall apart.
The doors opened, and I stepped into the ballroom. Conversations faltered. Cameras flashed.Some smiled politely; others whispered.I could practically hear it — that's her… Mrs. Gillian… the one who disappeared.
I didn't care. Not tonight.
"Miss Anderson," one of the board members greeted with an awkward half-smile.I smiled back — poised, perfect. "It's good to be home."
Across the room, my mother's face lit up. She looked radiant in her champagne-colored gown, relief softening her elegant features as she waved me over. Beside her was my father, already deep in conversation with foreign investors, but his eyes warmed when he saw me.For a moment, I felt… normal again.
"Darling, you look beautiful," my mother whispered as she kissed my cheek."Thank you," I said softly, meaning it. "I almost forgot what that felt like."
"Everyone's thrilled to see you, Audrey. Just relax and—"She stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes shifted past my shoulder, her expression flickering with unease.
My heart dropped before I even turned. Because somehow, I knew.
Jeremy.
There he was — tuxedo sharp, confidence reeking like expensive cologne. The crowd seemed to part for him as he approached, his hand resting casually on the back of a woman in a red silk dress.Adel.
Of course. He'd never let a moment of peace exist without turning it into a spectacle.
My mother's fingers tightened on my wrist. "Stay calm," she whispered.
Calm.
Right. My father seem to want to kill him, but I can't let him do that, he trust that I can handle him.
I forced a smirk as he finally stopped in front of me."You," I said, my tone honeyed and venomous at once. "You must be lost. How are you invited?"