**Audrey's POV**

He didn't move. His body remained pressed against mine, trapping me between him and the car. I'could feel his rapid heartbeat through his shirt,his arms trembling slightly as they braced against the vehicle on either side of me.

"Wait a moment longer," he said, voice strained.

I frowned. The egg dripping down my neck was seeping through my blouse, making the fabric stick uncomfortably to my skin.

"Those people are livestreaming this," I said. "Are you trying to make things worse?"

His eyes briefly met mine before darting away. "Just wait. Michael will be here soon. I can't... stand up right now."

That's when it clicked. Blake couldn't stand on his own. He was holding this position through pure arm strength to keep from crushing me.

Though I was grateful he'd protected me, gratitude didn't equal wanting this kind of contact. Two divorced people pressed against a car like this?What would people think?

But wait - how had he gotten out of his wheelchair to shield me in the first place?

Footsteps approached from different directions.

"Evelyn!"

"Blake!"

Adrian and Ethan reached us simultaneously, each grabbing one of Blake's shoulders to lift him back into his wheelchair. Adrian immediately moved to my side, while Ethan helped Blake straighten his clothes.

Adrian's eyes swept over me. "You okay?"

"Fine. Just messy." I tried ignoring the smell.

Adrian turned to Blake. "Though my wife didn't need your help, I should thank you."

Blake still looked pale. "No need."

Ethan said, eyes wide. "How did you do that? I thought you couldn't..."

Blake shook his head. "I don't know."

He turned toward the group of young women who were still recording with their phones. The overweight girl was on her knees, vomiting. The livestreamer trembled as Blake looked her way.

"Mr. Parker," she called out, "we're just trying to get justice for your ex-wife! Her sister stole her designs when she couldn't defend herself.We're punishing her-not doing anything wrong!"

The others nodded. "We're defending original designs!"

"This woman's heartless to her own family," another added. "Her sister only had these few designs, and she's stealing them too!"

"Mr. Parker, we're helping you punish someone bad, but you're protecting her.Why?"

Blake's demeanor shifted. Even seated, his presence expanded. filling the air with a cold authority I remembered too well.

"Whether you're helping me and my ex-wife or just venting frustrations.you know your true motives," he said quietly.

The girls exchanged worried glances.

"You have three minutes to eat those eggs, then apologize to Mrs.Knox."Blake continued. "Otherwise, I'll make sure you can't survive in New York."

The overweight girl struggled to her feet. "That's ridiculous! We didn't do anything wrong. Why are you even helping her?"

She pointed at me. "She stole attention from your wedding and plagiarized your dead wife's designs! If you respected your ex-wife, you wouldn't protect this woman!"

"Why help her? Is it because she looks like Audrey? Did you fall for her face?"

Her friend tried pulling her back. "Stop it!"

The air grew heavy. Blake's expression darkened.

Before she could say more, several men in black rushed forward. Michael appeared with two bodyguards. He kicked the girl's knee from behind,forcing her down again. The guards pressed her face into her own vomit.

"Ahhh!" she wailed.

Blake wheeled himself in front of her.

"What I should or shouldn't do isn't for you to direct," he said calmly. "My character and preferences aren't for you to judge."

He glanced at the phones still recording. "They're livestreaming."

Michael nodded. "I'll handle it."

He signaled to more men waiting nearby. "Everyone, over here!"

The bodyguards rushed forward, subduing all the women. Their screams filled the air as they were forced to the ground.

I frowned at the excessive force."Let's go," I told Adrian.

"Wait," he replied, dabbing egg from my hair with a tissue. "Aren't you curious who sent them?"

I paused. "Sent? They weren't actingalone?"

"No. I was in the smoking area and saw everything. They were waiting for you specifically. They had photos of our car. When they matched it to Ethan's, they saged this ambush."

"This was planned, not spontaneous."

The overweight girl's shouting drew my attention.

"Mr. Parker! My father partnered with Parker Group this week and had dinner with Rachel Hayes! We're friends - we texted today! You can't treat me like this!"

Adrian walked toward her. "So Rachel Hayes sent you?"

Her eyes widened. "Of course..." She caught herself. "No! This was my idea!It has nothing to do with Miss Hayes!"

Adrian laughed. "Interesting. I never suggested Rachel sent you. Why the rush to deny it?"

She kept her head down. "I just don't want you to misunderstand her!"

"IFyou hadn't mentioned her, we wouldn't have suspected her," Adrian said. "But now..."

He took out his phone and called Rachel, putting it on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Adrian Knox here. There's an overweight girl claiming her father dined with you. Says you're friends."

Silence stretched for several seconds.

"Where are you?" Rachel finally asked. "The hotel entrance?"

"You've guessed correctly. Please come quickly -we'll wait for you."

Rachel's voice hardened. "Fine. Don't hurt her or her friends. I'm coming now."

She hung up.

I leaned against the car, Rachel's voice echoing in my head. I knew her voice patterns too well after all our years as friends. That quick response,that immediate promise to come - she didn't even ask who these girls were or why they were in trouble.

She knew exactly where they were and what they were doing.

So I was right. Rachel was behind this whole thing.

She'd stolen my draft designs to accuse me of plagiarism.

She'd arranged for these girls to ambush me with rotten eggs.

The reality hit me like a physical blow. Did Rachel hate me that much?Even knowing Evelyn was my twin sister, she'd go this far?

"Hey." Ethan touched my shoulder lightly. "It'll take her a while to get here. Why don't you go clean up?"

His suggestion pulled me back to reality. I'd been planning to shower before Adrian stopped me to watch this drama unfold. Now that we were waiting for Rachel anyway, I might as well make myself presentable.

I glanced at Adrian. "I'm going upstairs."

He nodded. "I'll call when the show starts."

As I walked past Blake, I kept my eyes forward, not acknowledging his presence. I didn't spare him a single glance.

"Mrs. Knox," Michael called after me, voice tight with disapproval. "You're just leaving? After he-"

"Michael." Blake's voice cut through the air like a knife. "Focus on your job."

I heard Michael sigh behind me as I continued toward the hotel entrance.He raised his voice deliberately. "What are you all standing around for? Mr.

Parker deserves better than this."

The subtext was clear - he wasn't just talking to the security team.

I didn't break stride. Blake's help meant nothing to me now. Adrian had already thanked him, which was more courtesy than Blake had ever shown me. All those times I'd bent over backward for him, all I'd ever gotten was a quick "thanks" before he moved on.

Now that I was just giving him the same treatment.