Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Audrey’s demeanor turned slightly frosty as she halted in her steps.
“What secret?”
Brent, gathering himself despite his injury, wasted no time in getting to the point. “You give me money, and I’ll tell you.”
“Then forget it, I don’t want to know.” As she said this, Audrey turned to get in the car.
Anxiety surged through Brent, prompting him to shout, “It’s the secret of how you ended up being adopted by my family! Don’t you want to know?”
Audrey froze in her tracks. Her father had recounted the heart- wrenching tale of her disappearance at the tender age of six. Back then, her mother had been shattered, consumed by anguish, unable to find solace in food or rest, her days blurred by tears and despair.
Later, Audrey’s mother left a note, expressing her intention to search for her missing daughter, before vanishing without a trace.
Throughout the years, her father had tirelessly pursued any leads, refusing to abandon hope.
Audrey had always held onto the belief that she had simply wandered off and been found by Brent’s mother.
But the tone of Brent’s voice raised doubts in Audrey’s mind. Perhaps her understanding of her past wasn’t as straightforward as she had believed.
Meeting Brent’s gaze, Audrey’s voice was laced with skepticism.
“Brent, you are trying to scam me, aren’t you?”
Brent felt a twinge of discomfort at Audrey’s tone, but he suppressed his pride, driven by his desire for her financial assistance. “I can assure you I’m not scamming you.”
The credibility of a gambler’s words was questionable. Audrey responded lightly, “Then spill it.”
How could Brent possibly speak without taking money from Audrey first?
He insisted, “Payment first, or I shall remain silent.”
“What is your price?”
Brent raised a hand, stating plainly, “Fifty million!”
Audrey frowned slightly, “Then, keep your secret to yourself!”
While curious about how she ended up at being adopted by Brent’s mother, Audrey knew Brent too well. If she conceded to his demand for fifty million, he would likely view her money as easily obtained and greedily request a hundred million or even more by spilling the beans little by little. That was Brent’s modus operandi!
Brent’s countenance darkened, and he argued, “Hey. Just fifty million…”
He assessed Stefan standing beside Audrey and queried, “Another change of partners? I didn’t realize you are so adept at switching companions…”
Unwilling to entertain his banter, Audrey coldly retorted, “Shut your filthy mouth.”
Brent misinterpreted her reaction as her guilty conscience and unwillingness to disclose her past relationships to her current partner. He scornfully remarked, “Compensate me if you wish to silence me. Otherwise, I shall divulge to your current partner what you had done when affluent individuals financially supported you.
Consequently, you’ll be left with nothing…”
In Brent’s perception, Audrey relied heavily on her physical attractiveness. For a person of her standing, those affluent would merely toy with her, never truly contemplating marriage.
Audrey regarded him with a chilly gaze. “If you have nothing meaningful to contribute, please leave.”
“Considering the man next to you, he should be capable of affording such luxuries. If not, it’s best to end things promptly. While youth and beauty are on your side, the identity of your bedfellow holds little significance. Naturally, you should seek out someone wealthy.”
Brent narrowed his eyes, observing that the men Audrey favored were consistently youthful and attractive. But what good was their handsomeness if they were tightfisted with their finances?
Brent spoke with an air of experience. “Don’t always prioritize looks.
The attractive ones tend to be miserly. Consider older ones. They know how to lavish you with care…”
Before he could finish, Audrey abruptly grabbed a stone and hurled it at Brent’s mouth.
Instantly, Brent’s mouth was shattered, blood flowing freely, adding to his already menacing appearance.
“Ouch!” Brent clutched his injured mouth, howling in agony.
A blur passed by. Brent didn’t even catch sight of what had struck him. “You little wretch! What did you hit me with?”
Witnessing Brent’s intense fury, Stefan swiftly shielded Audrey, warily monitoring Brent’s every move.
Audrey curled her lip slightly. “Was I aiming for you? I thought it was just a filthy mouse constantly squeaking, noisy and low…”
At her words, Brent’s rage intensified, knowing Audrey was mocking him. He couldn’t hold back anymore!
Brent rubbed his split lips and fixed Stefan with a fierce glare.
“Do you have any idea how many men this bitch has been with? She’s always been kept as a mistress by others. She’s only interested in your money, and once it’s gone, she’ll discard you without a second thought…”
Brent’s audacity knew no bounds.
Unable to endure any longer, Audrey shouted, “Brent, if you spread lies again, I’ll call the police!”
“When have I ever spread lies? There was a respectable man who aided you at the hospital once, and I distinctly recall seeing you kiss a man in a luxury car! Don’t tell me those men would marry a woman like you…”
Brent had only just sneaked in and hadn’t stayed updated with the developments since then. If he had, he wouldn’t dare utter such remarks.
Spitting blood onto the ground, Brent snapped, “What an atrocious taste you have, moving from worse to the worst! At least the previous one spent five million on you! This one’s nothing but a miser, a cheapskate…”
Audrey seized upon the crucial detail, fixing her gaze on Brent. “Who gave you five million?”
Realizing his blunder but for the intent of provoking Stefan, Brent made no effort to conceal it any longer. “It was the man you were with before, the one from the Clement Group building. I trailed him to his office and told him how much my family had spent on you. Of course, I painted you as heartless, and without hesitation, he handed over five million, warning me not to trouble you further!”
Brent cast a challenging look at Stefan. “You don’t seem short on funds. Yet, you’re unwilling to spend a dime and still wish to keep a woman?”
Stefan’s face darkened, his fists clenched tightly. He spoke icily.
“Do not slander Audrey. We are merely friends.”
“Friends? Ha-ha, spare me… You mean to say you have no desire for her?” Setting aside everything else, Brent was quite confident in Audrey’s allure. Since youth, she had possessed a striking charm and carried herself with the grace of a lady, distinct from other girls.
Brent’s words only served to deepen Stefan’s scowl. The typically gentle and refined Stefan finally let his anger surface. “Stop talking nonsense!”
Meanwhile, Audrey remained stunned by Brent’s earlier revelation. She knew Brent was referring to Cornell. But she never fathomed that Cornell would clandestinely offer Brent five million just to keep Brent from harassing her.
No wonder, following that incident at the hospital, Brent never troubled her again. She had assumed Brent had a change of heart, but it appeared money was the sole reason for his silence.
Brent continued to spew nonsense at Stefan.
Audrey, disinterested in further confrontation, frowned and said to Stefan, “Let’s go, Stefan.”
Observing the two preparing to depart, Brent, devoid of any gain, grew desperate. He shouted, “Aren’t you curious about the secret?
It’s not as simple as merely adopting you after finding you alone.
Don’t you want to know?”
Audrey replied firmly, “I don’t want to know.”
Then, she turned and swiftly got into the car. Knowing if she expressed curiosity, Brent would be even less inclined to reveal anything substantial without gaining millions from her by spilling some minor details little by little, Audrey opted for the opposite approach.
However, as much as Audrey understood Brent, Brent also comprehended her. He sneered, “You think you can deceive me, little one? I don’t believe for a second that you’re not curious.” Audrey had always been astute, never faltering in his presence.
Brent, feeling rather pleased with himself, continued, “Let me make it clear. Fifty million, not a cent less, or don’t bother to…”
Before he could finish, Brent watched as the car window smoothly rose, cutting off his words from the outside. To his astonishment, the limousine began to move and departed!
“Wait!” Brent was hot on the car’s heels, his voice desperate. “Stop!
Stop the car!”
But the car didn’t even pause, pressing on instead.
Boom! The sound was deafening.
Brent tripped, tumbling hard onto the ground. His face was a mess, bloodied from the fall. Tears sprang to his eyes from the sharp pain, blurring his vision. As he squinted through the haze, he saw the car reversing toward him. The window slid down smoothly.
Audrey looked out, her face devoid of emotion. “Still want to talk?”
Brent, with his face smeared in blood and tears, looked utterly defeated. He knew well that he wouldn’t find any trace of sympathy in Audrey today. “How much are you willing to give?”
Audrey mimicked his gesture, raising her hand and spreading her fingers.
A grimace flickered across Brent’s bloodied lips. Yet, he was aware that the secret held value only to Audrey and was worthless to others. He closed his eyes, twisting his mouth in resignation. “Fine!
Five million it is. You hand over five million, and I’ll spill everything, not a single falsehood.”
Brent couldn’t help but think he had dropped his price significantly, from fifty million down to five.
Audrey gave him a look that suggested she thought he was out of his mind. She corrected him with a cool demeanor, “I meant fifty.”