Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Roscoe’s serious explanation only intensified Nicole’s heartache. The blend of that piercing pain left her breathless.
With gritted teeth, Nicole asserted, “It’s not because of that. I’m just not comfortable with having people in my life anymore. I don’t like being cared for like this, and sometimes, I even find your presence annoying.”
The most difficult part of any undertaking was the beginning. Now that Nicole had already begun, and the most hurtful words had already been spoken, she knew that it would only get easier from here.
Nicole bit her lip. “As for Austin, let the manny take care of him from now on. She was the one who had been taking care of him till he turned one. The search for a matched heart for him will take time, and you have your own concerns, so I won’t burden you.”
When Austin was born, Nicole had enlisted the help of a local nanny to help in his upbringing.
When Austin turned one, Nicole, not herself at that time, decided to withdraw from his life, completely leaving him under the care of the nanny. This was the toughest decision she had ever made.
Throughout this time, Roscoe had been there. Back then, Roscoe had been furthering his studies.
Later, when Austin fell ill, Roscoe suggested that Austin stay with him. Ever since then, Austin had become dependent on Roscoe as well as the nanny.
“I’ve never considered Austin as a burden,” Roscoe retorted suddenly, his voice not loud but tinged with indignation.
Swiftly containing his anger, he continued, “Nicole, whatever you don’t like about me, I will change it. If you find my presence bothersome, I’ll make myself scarce. I can…”
“Stop it,” Nicole said with reddened eyes. Her hand trembled beneath the blanket, and she was afraid that her tears would escape at any moment. “Just pretend you never met me. Roscoe, we were never meant to be from the start.”
Nicole’s words put a clear distance between them, hitting Roscoe hard.
Roscoe felt like he couldn’t connect with Nicole anymore. He thought back to the soft, moonlit way she used to look at Austin, puzzled about why she was being so harsh with him…
“Is this because of him?” Roscoe asked, his eyes locked on Nicole’s lips and neck, noticing the telltale marks.
No room for self-deception remained.
Nicole, aware of his stare, felt a wave of shame wash over her. She tried to hide it by covering her neck with her hand and letting her hair fall over it as though she had done something unforgivable.
For a second, Nicole almost tried to justify her actions.
Somehow, she paused. Then, deciding not to hide, she exposed the hickeys under his unwavering gaze.
“This has nothing to do with him. I just don’t like you. Don’t bother trying…” Nicole said, avoiding Roscoe’s gaze.
She closed her eyes, steeling herself for any reaction, expecting Roscoe to leave any moment. Knowing Roscoe for his talent and independence, she was sure he wouldn’t linger after her rejection.
At last, the door shut.
When Nicole opened her eyes again, she was alone in the room.
Suddenly, Nicole felt drained of all strength. Her heart felt empty as if it had been scooped out, leaving her feeling cold and hollow.
She had deliberately said those words, making Roscoe think she was belittling his background. In truth, she felt she was unworthy of him…
Roscoe moving on would mean a better life for him, full of brighter possibilities. He shouldn’t be confined to this city, bearing hatred not his to bear.
With Jarrod’s maniacal nature, knowing her intentions might lead to a relentless vendetta… Nicole decided not to drag anyone else into her problems.
Everything seemed all too familiar. She believed she was destined to be alone… To face her challenges by herself, to live and die alone…
Nicole tried to comfort herself, but the pain kept washing over her, unrelieved by her efforts to calm it.
Then, all of a sudden, the door swung open once more.
Nicole looked up to see Roscoe with a kettle in his hands.
Roscoe walked over to Nicole’s bed smoothly, poured some water, and gave it to her, saying, “I let it cool off a bit. It’s nice and warm,”
Nicole glanced at the cup, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. Just when she was convinced she’d be forever alone, here was Roscoe, back again.
Fighting the urge to cry, she took the cup and drank quickly.
However, Nicole coughed violently after drinking too quickly and started to choke. Nicole could use this to help explain her sudden surge of tears.
However, the tears seemed too excessive for a simple choke. Tears dropped onto the blanket, creating patterns.
Roscoe felt an emptiness inside him. Quickly grabbing the cup, he gently patted her back and asked, “Is it too hot?”
It didn’t make sense to him. He had made sure the drink was only warm, worried she might burn her mouth during the night.
Nicole shook her head, attempted to speak, but only managed to hiccup.
The hiccups kept coming, one after another, uncontrollably.
As she became anxious, Roscoe’s calm face suddenly came into view.
Dangerously close.
That was when Nicole noticed how appealing Roscoe’s lips were, looking soft and slightly red…
Roscoe leaned in even closer.
Nicole’s heart raced, as if he were about to kiss her. She started to panic, but then felt a cool breeze on her cheek.
Roscoe was blowing on her eyes, gently and with care…
He whispered, “Just blow on it, and it won’t hurt.”
Hearing those words, Nicole felt an urge to cry even more. Her dad used to say the same thing when she was little. “Sweetheart, just blow on it, and it won’t hurt…”
Now, she realized the person who used to say that with such kindness would never say it again. A wave of sadness washed over her, and tears streamed down her face.
Roscoe suddenly tightened his hold on Nicole’s arm and wrapped his arms around her tightly.
Nicole instinctively tried to pull away, only to freeze when he whispered, “No.”
Trembling, Nicole asked, “What?”
Roscoe replied firmly, “I’m not giving up that easily. I know I like you. If you’re not ready now, I can wait as long as it takes. But don’t ask me to leave you. That I cannot do.”
If Nicole hadn’t subconsciously tried to hide the hickeys, Roscoe might have walked away, heartbroken.
Yet, subconscious actions revealed the truth, and Roscoe noted her struggles.
At that moment, Nicole felt truly afraid. His intense declaration sparked a fear in her like never before. She felt she didn’t deserve the adoration in Roscoe’s gaze.
In a voice devoid of emotion, Nicole stated, “I don’t like you. I’ve made that clear.”
Roscoe, undeterred, said gently, “It’s fine. My love for you is enough.”
Tears started streaming down Nicole’s face, unstoppable. Her heart, scarred from past hurts, found the depth of his love too much to handle. Through her tears, she said, “Roscoe, why can’t you see? You shouldn’t love me.”
Nicole wanted to say more, but as she looked into Roscoe’s sincere and warm eyes, she found herself at a loss for words. She couldn’t bear to cause him any more pain with words.
Late at night. In the hospital corridor.
Roscoe was by the window, gazing into the darkness of the night, his expression turnin g cold. After a moment of silence, he finally said into the phone, “I’m coming back.”
Once the call ended, Roscoe went back to Nicole’s ward and sat next to the bed, watching Nicole closely.
Nicole’s eyelashes were damp, and she shed two tears while she dreamed.
He gently held her hand, tucked her in, and said so softly it was almost hard to hear, “Nicole, you won’t be alone.”
The moonlight cast a gentle glow on Roscoe’s calm and clear face.
Roscoe watched Nicole with an affectionate look. He grasped that having met someone so dazzling as Nicole from his younger years meant his irresistible love for her right after the spark of love at first sight.
On the quiet corridor. Bang! Suddenly, a thermos was thrown into the trash can.
Milky fish soup spilled out, its steam rising in the air.
With his back to Nicole’s ward, Jarrod’s gaze deepened, his eyes burning with a wild, untamed fierceness…
After leaving the hospital, Audrey threw herself into her work, trying to distract herself from the whirlwind of thoughts swirling in her head. She wanted to avoid making any mistakes while her memories were fuzzy.
Audrey picked up every call from Cornell, but her replies were brief and to the point. Swamped with work, tied down, hanging out with friends… She caught herself using these insincere excuses for two days straight.
Audrey began to feel like she was betraying him. A wave of guilt washed over her…
On the third day, Cornell stopped calling, simmering with irritation.
But by the afternoon, his patience ran thin, and he sent her a text.
“Will you come today?”
After sending the message, Cornell remembered an article Luis had shared with him the day before. It suggested that women appreciated sweet words and advised men not to shy away from showing affection for the desired one.