**Audrey's POV**

My heart melted hearing Emma's little voice in the background.

"Look, I'm done talking," Astrid said through the phone. "I'm bringing Emma to your hotel now."

"We'll talk when we get there," Astrid added.

"Okay," I said and hung up.

I grabbed my phone and opened social media - bad habit. My notifications showed 999+.

*What the hell?*

Comments flooded my screen:

[Did Evelyn Knox just LIKE the post about her plagiarism scandal??]

[Either she's trolling or has no clue what's happening]

[Bold move. I respect it.]

Another notification caught my eye - Rachel had officially filed a lawsuit claiming I'd stolen "her deceased friend's designs." The documents looked professional, clearly handled by a proper law firm.

With a smirk, I tapped like on Rachel's post about suing me. The comment count exploded instantly.

I almost laughed seeing the trending topic: "Fighting for deceased friend,

Rachel Hayes is kind and thoughtful, perfect for Blake Parker!"

Right at the top was Rachel's comment: "Mrs. Knox, why only like the post? Nothing to say about stealing my friend's designs?"

I could picture her face - furious, frustrated that I wasn't playing along with her game. I locked my phone and tossed it aside. Let her stew.

The suite door opened as Adrian walked in. Shorty after, Astrid arrived with Emma. The little girl flew into my arms, chattering excitedly about her day.

None of us mentioned the drama online. Adrian took Emma to watch cartoons while Astrid helped me in the kitchen. For a few hours,the four of us enjoyed dinner together, laughing and talking like a normal family.

**Rachel's POV**

The Parker mansion felt like a storm about to break.

Rebecca hurled her phone at my head. I ducked just in time.

"Why is that bitch still trending?" she screamed. "I open my phone and see her face everywhere!"

"She has Audrey's exact face, which already pisses me off," Rebecca ranted,pacing wildly. "Now she's humiliated me in front of everyone who matters in New York!"

"The Sinclairs are ruined, and that Australian nobody and her husband are getting all the attention!" She jabbed a finger at me. "You promised she'd be destroyed after the plagiarism story broke! Instead,people are praising her for having the nerve to like your post!"

"1thought you'd be like Laurel - actually useful to this family. But you can't even handle one simple task!" She grabbed a vase."And you still think you're marrying Blake? Dream on!"

The vase exploded against the wall. "Maybe we should just cancel Saturday's wedding. No one gives a shit anyway!"

I took a breath and stepped forward to help a servant clean up the mess."Rebecca,please calm-"

Hot tea hit my face before I could finish. The cup shattered at my feet,shards slicing into my legs.

Rebecca snarled."Useless!"

The pain stung, but her words hurt worse.

"Laurel at least had Blake wrapped around her finger," she continued."You're not half the woman your sister was!"

"Some nobody from Australia walks in, and you can't even handle her,"Rebecca sneered. "How will you ever manage Parker affairs? How will you control Blake?"

I looked up, my eyes cold but determined. "Mrs. Parker, today's disaster wasn't my idea. Victoria Sinclair proposed it. You agreed."

I stepped closer, ignoring the glass under my shoes. "If you and Thalia hadn't begged me to help expose Evelyn Knox, I wouldn't be involved at all."

"I did everything you asked," I continued, voice steady. "This mess happened because you fell for Victoria's flattery. Now that it's blown up.you can't find the Sinclairs, can't yell at Thalia, so you're taking it out on

me."

These thoughts had stayed buried for years, but the grown-up Rachel - the one who survived four years as a vegetable - wasn't staying silent anymore.

"I'm not inferior to Laurel," I said firmly.′′can help run Parker Group.I can advance Blake's career. Laurel couldn't do any of that. I'm more capable and more deserving of Blake than she ever was."

Rebecca laughed in my face. "Better than Laurel? My eyes must be failing me!"

She circled me slowly. "When Blake looked at Laurel, his eyes lit up.When he looks at you? Same as how he looks at his assistant!"

"Stop kidding yourself," she continued. "You're just some nobody trying to use Blake for a cushy life. You think you can help with business? Parker Group could hire any brilliant woman in the world! Why would we need you?"

Before I could answer, a staff member rushed in."Mrs. Parker, there's an emergency. Mr. Parker is asking for Miss Audrey Sinclair."

He glanced at me nervously. "Miss Hayes..."

I nodded. "I understand."

Perfect timing. "Grandfather needs me. I don't have time for this."

As I walked away, Rebecca called after me. "He asked for Audrey Sinclair.You're just an imposter running to play pretend."

I stopped at the doorway, turning back with a cold smile."What's wrong with being a substitute?"

"Aren't you one too?"

Her face went pale.

"Blake's father never gave you that chance, did he?" I continued."Iheard you tried everything to look like that woman he loved, but he never even glanced your way."

′′Ifyou hadn't gotten pregnant with Blake, you wouldn't be Mrs. Parker at all." I laughed. "If you could stay with Blake's father all these years througha that, why can't I do the same?"

Rebecca's eyesturned murderous. After a long silence, she violently swept everything off the coffee table.

I heard the crash as I walked away,satisfied with landing the final blow.

I didn't care if Blake never loved me. I just needed to marry him,get pregnant, and secure my place as Mrs. Parker forever. That would be enough.

After becoming Blake's wife, I could finally make my Rose family stepfather and my mother see me as someone important - not just Laurel's plainlittle sister.

I wouldn't be inferior to Laurel anymore.

I'd be more successful, more powerful, more envied than she ever was.

**Charles's POV**

I held my phone so Mr. Parker could see the livestream of this afternoon's confrontation. The care facillty was quiet except for the occasional beep of medical equipment.

"That's Audrey's twin?" Mr. Parker squinted at the screen,tracking Evelyn Knox's movements.

Despite his confusion these days, he clearly remembered how the Sinclairs had treated Audrey. His face lit up with a rare smile.

"About damn time!" He tugged at his beard. "Where was she when Audrey needed her?"

He tapped the screen with a gnarled finger. "Poor girl took so much crap in our house. If her sister had shown up earlier to deal with those Sinclair vultures, maybe Audrey wouldn't have worked herself sick."

I nodded."Yes,sir."

*If onaly Audrey had found her sister sooner.*

I'd never met Evelyn Knox, but anyone whose family rescued Audrey from death's door couldn't be al bad. Still, I wondered how different things might have been if the real Evelyn had found Audrey before passing away.

"One thing though," Mr. Parker's voice hardened, breaking my train of thought. "Those Australian Parkers who raised her? Bad news."

"The year Blake was born, they tried to tank us. Nearly succeeded too."

"Blake's father pulled us back from the edge. Otherwise -"He made a cutting motion across his throat.

He handed me back the phone. "Have you called her yet? Told her to visit me?"

"I need to warn her about her so-called parents. She should know what

they did to us."

He looked directly at me. "Those two are snakes. Vicious, backstabbing snakes."