Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
“Have you changed your mind about returning to the company?” Matteo’s eyebrows knitted together.
“Absolutely not,” Kyle hastily reassured.
“It just took me by surprise. That’s all.”
“I just thought you had some sort of attachment to Miss Murray,”
Matteo hinted slyly.
“Attachment? To her? Not even likely. She’s got a terrible temper. I can’t wait to get back to the company and escape her wrath,” Kyle retorted.
Matteo continued, “Well, anyway, Miss Murray is no longer our concern.
Mr. Clement has made that clear.”
“Understood, Matteo.”
After Kyle took his leave, Matteo glanced at Kyle’s meticulously styled hair, paused briefly, and then headed to his office.
At the hospital, later in the day, Audrey took a ten-minute stroll, courtesy of the nurse’s approval.
She unexpectedly bumped into Henley.
Wearing a black sweater and khaki slacks, his good looks resembled those of a college student.
Their eyes met. Henley said, “What brings you back to the hospital?”
His voice tinged with worry.
“Fertility treatments,” Audrey pointed to her stomach and explained.
“And you?”
Henley gestured toward his arm and playfully said, “Physical rehab.”
Upon hearing this, Audrey’s face turned somber.
“I’m sorry, Henley,” she offered, feeling guilt-ridden over his injuries.
Henley shrugged it off and comforted her, “No need to be concerned.
I made this decision willingly. Nobody pushed me into it.”
Yet, Audrey grew more melancholic.
“Henley, can I treat you to coffee?”
For some reason, this made Henley slightly uneasy, but he consented with a cheerful nod.
After sitting down, Audrey opted for juice while Henley sipped on coffee.
He found himself distracted by the sight of Audrey’s slender, beautiful fingers.
A vivid dream flashed in his mind. It was an implausible dream where Audrey’s fingers had rendered him on cloud nine.
How could it be? His pursuit of her was purely strategic.
He despised women. How could he be charmed by one so quickly?
Disturbed, Henley shifted the subject.
“Audrey, rumor has it that Miss Murray and your husband will be sharing some good news soon.
What’s that about?”
Indeed, Audrey had intentionally diverted her focus, striving to put the issue out of her mind.
Yet, the day following Cecilia’s birthday party, the media was flooded with news about Cornell and Cecilia.
Several guests at the party had informed reporters that Cornell and Cecilia were deeply in love, and whispers about their upcoming wedding were verified by a source close to them.
Given that this information had gone public on social media platforms, it was evident that Cornell had given his silent approval. With his influence, quashing such rumors would have been effortless for him.
Consequently, the subject Audrey had fought so hard to ignore resurfaced, making denial futile.
Audrey felt a pang of sadness but concealed it skillfully.
Dropping her gaze, she nibbled on her straw.
“Henley, I apologize, but discussing this isn’t something I can do right now.”
Henley responded with a kind smile, “That’s alright, Audrey. My primary concern is your happiness.”
However, Audrey said earnestly, “Henley, I believe it’s best if we maintain some distance going forward.”
Caught off guard, Henley nearly fumbled his coffee cup.
Collecting himself, he asked softly, “Did he intimidate you again?”
Audrey simply shook her head.
“No, it’s just that helping me always seems to hurt you, and I can’t bear that guilt. We should stop meeting each other.”
Audrey’s reasoning was straightforward. She no longer wanted to inflict pain on those who showed her kindness.
Henley sensed her intentions clearly from her earnest expression.
Yet, the more she pushed him away, the more he yearned to be near her.
Unfazed, he told her, “I’m not afraid of whatever he might do, Audrey.”
Still, Audrey was unyielding.
“I appreciate that, Henley, but my mind is made up. I can’t bring myself to harm you further.”
Observing Audrey’s unwavering determination, Henley’s expression turned somewhat gloomy.
He ceased bothering Audrey but locked eyes with her, saying, “If that’s what you truly want, Audrey, I’ll honor your wishes.”
“Thank you for understanding, Henley. I hope life treats you well,”
Audrey responded sincerely.
“As a final gesture, may I at least treat you to dessert?” Henley offered.
Touched by his sincerity, Audrey agreed with a nod.
This hospital featured a buffet bar, so Henley instructed Audrey to remain seated while he went to fetch the dessert.
Turning around, Henley’s gaze shifted to one of cool detachment.
Silently, he headed to the dessert counter to place his order. Once he had his treat in hand, he returned by a different path.
When he encountered Cornell, he was entirely unfazed. He greeted Cornell in a tone tinged with sarcasm, “Ah, Mr. Clement, you’ve come for some coffee as well?”
The irony was not lost on either man, considering the woman Cornell was married to awaited Henley in the dining room.
Cornell stood upright, his legs appearing even more slender encased in his tailored pants, and responded, “I warned you to keep your distance from my wife. Did you forget?”
Henley grinned, replying, “Oh, your warning? Yes, I remember it quite well.”
Cornell fixed him with an icy stare.
The mere thought of Henley and Audrey whispering sweet nothings to each other filled him with a violent rage he had to suppress for Audrey’s sake.
Cornell said in a frigid tone, “If you remember, then why are you still here?”
“Mr. Clement, I choose to stay, because Henley hesitated deliberately, his intentions evident in his expression.
“Audrey is a good girl and I like her very much.”
Cornell’s eyes narrowed at this, his tongue pressing against the back of his teeth.
“You like her very much? How dare you!”
Unfazed, Henley got right to the point.
“The sad truth is, you’ve lost Audrey’s affection for good. You can’t even win her heart.”
Cornell felt his head spin and struggled to maintain his composure.