Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Audrey felt a knot form in her stomach. She took a hurried breath and managed to say, “I’m sorry, sir, but there’s been a change of plans. I won’t need the ride, thank you.”
After saying those words, Audrey felt her heart racing, silently hoping that Cornell would sense the seriousness in her tone.
A short pause followed before Cornell finally asked, “Why aren’t you taking the ride anymore?”
Audrey felt a sinking feeling in her heart. He didn’t get her silent plea for help!
The man started to think that Audrey was trying to signal for help and was close to breaking the phone in frustration.
Then, Cornell’s voice came through, slightly annoyed. “If you didn’t want to take the ride, you should have told me earlier instead of having me wait.”
The man froze, and Audrey hastily said, “I’m really sorry. I forgot!”
“Don’t even think about affecting my rating negatively. Just cancel the booking yourself!” Cornell said before hanging up the phone, the annoyance in his tone evident.
This convinced the man of Audrey’s claim, and he relaxed his guard slightly.
The man clumsily fumbled with Audrey’s phone, asking in a rush, “Quick! What’s the transfer passcode?”
Suddenly, Audrey’s phone rang again, showing Cornell’s number.
The man looked confused. “What’s this about now?”
Audrey, thinking on her feet, said, “He’s probably telling me to cancel the ride. If I don’t, he can’t get to his next customer.”
The man attempted to cancel the ride as Audrey suggested but struggled with the task.
As Audrey’s phone kept buzzing, the man’s frustration increased.
“What’s the deal with this useless phone!”
Audrey saw her chance. “Let me do it, please. It needs a fingerprint to work.”
The man looked at her, wary. “You’re not trying to trick me into freeing you, are you?”
“Of course not,” Audrey replied, her voice shaking. “Fingerprint verification is quick. Plus, if I handle the transfer, there’s no risk of entering the wrong password.”
The man found Audrey’s words sensible. Using fingerprint unlocking meant there was no chance of Audrey typing an incorrect password.
Watching the man think, Audrey urged, “Look at me. I couldn’t possibly pose any threat to you…”
Audrey’s shoulders trembled, and her face, once vibrant, was now pale with fear.
The man menacingly held the knife closer to Audrey. “Any tricks, and you’ll regret it.”
Audrey nodded repeatedly.
The man sliced through the ropes but kept the knife close to Audrey’s neck, watching her every move.
Luckily, the app Audrey had booked for a taxi was set to look for another ride if the first one was missed. If not, her bluff might have been called.
After she canceled the ride, Audrey started transferring the money, her head down and her body shaking. Yet, her gaze cautiously measured the distance to the knife and the man’s position.
Audrey’s mind raced, analyzing the situation. They were mismatched in strength. The self-defense moves she had learned were more about protection than attack, not strong enough to be offensive. It meant she had only one chance.
Cornell appeared to have gotten her earlier hint, but when he would get here was unknown. Audrey didn’t dare to solely rely on that.
Audrey knew the man wouldn’t release her even after getting the money, but she still completed the 500, 000 transfer. This payment could help the police track the man down if he chose to run.
Audrey showed the man her screen, showcasing the finished transfer.
The man’s eyes narrowed, forming a menacing smile, his knife hovering perilously close to Audrey’s neck, a silent threat to her life should she make even the slightest movement.
Audrey, feigning a trembling voice, asked, “Can I leave now?”
The man’s laughter was cold. “Going so soon? You still have to ‘look after’ my need!”
Audrey was painfully aware of the unreliability of such men. With her voice breaking and her hands brought together as if to pray, Audrey implored, “Please, I’ve done what you asked and given you the money. let me leave…”
Her movement tactically caused the knife to move away from its menacing position.
Audrey continued to tremble as if driven by fear, her slight movement from the knife unnoticed by the man, whose eyes focused on Audrey’s lips, gleaming with lust. The man laughed and said, “Be quick. I don’t have much time. Satisfy me, and maybe I won’t hurt you further…”
Audrey’s stomach turned under his leering look. Taking a deep breath, she adopted a pitiful demeanor, nodding meekly. “Really? If I… If I comply, you’ll release me?”
Believing Audrey had consented, the man, eager and impatient, started, “Yes, that’s…”
His statement was abruptly interrupted by his howl of pain. “Ah! Ouch!”
Audrey had found a stone and, with a swift and fierce motion, struck him hard. She then took off running. She assumed the lighter place with tons of people would dissuade the man from capturing her.
“Help! Someone! Help!” Audrey yelled while running, yet this place was deserted at this hour, with hardly any cars around.
“You little devil! I’ll kill you!” The man’s enraged shout followed her.
Audrey was surprised by his persistence. Even hurt, he was closing in on her.
Audrey sprinted desperately until a stumble caused her to fall, her body going numb from the crash.
The man, clutching his injury, approached Audrey with a snarl. “Bitch!
You dare trick me? I’ll slash that pretty face of yours!”
He lifted the knife, aiming at Audrey’s face.
Audrey, paralyzed and defenseless, prepared for the worst.
But just then, a long arm reached out protectively for Audrey, being sliced through by the knife. Blood started to flow immediately.
Cornell faced the unkempt man and ignored his injured arm, his eyes reflecting a fearsome rage.
“Bang!” With a swift motion, Cornell struck the man down before the man could even react.
As the man reached for his dropped knife, wanting to fight back, Cornell crushed the man’s hand with his heel, eliciting a blood-curdling scream. “Ah! My hand!”
The knife slipped from the man’s grasp. Cornell kicked it aside and then quickly bent down to check on Audrey for any harm. Though he found no injuries, his worry was evident. “Are you all right?”
Audrey, regaining her composure, murmured, “I’m fine…”
Cornell suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.
Audrey, caught off guard, managed to gasp out, “Cornell…”
“Audrey…” Cornell repeated, embracing her tightly, his frame shaking with emotion.
“I was worried sick…” Cornell confessed in a low voice.
Cornell tried to keep his voice steady, but it still shook a bit.
Matteo, who was driving earlier, had coached Cornell on what to say to trick the kidnapper.
At the same time, Matteo arranged for someone to locate Audrey. But the tracking was vague, only showing an area close to Audrey’s studio, which wasn’t very precise.
They split up to look for Audrey.
Then, following Audrey’s cries for help, Cornell found her at last!
Those minutes spent searching felt like torture to him. He even regretted getting mad at her and letting a meeting hold him up. The thought of something bad happening to Audrey was too much to bear.
Cornell went quiet, lowered his head, and hugged Audrey even tighter.
A tear from Cornell wetted Audrey’s cheek, and its warmth made her shudder. Was Cornell crying? Though it was just a single tear, it profoundly moved Audrey.
Being held closely by Cornell, Audrey heard his heart beating faster than hers. Was he frightened and worried about her?
At that moment, Audrey couldn’t find it in herself to be distant or push Cornell away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him. His suit, usually so sleek and detached, now seemed to radiate a comforting warmth. She clenched her fingers around him, letting herself get lost in this warmth for a moment.
Behind them, the man casting sleazy looks, realizing his luck was running out, tried to escape. But he had barely gotten up before another sharply dressed man, precisely Matteo, knocked him down.
“Ah! Ah!” Another yell broke the silence.
It dawned on the man belatedly that he was no match for Matteo, whose strong build indicated regular workout.
Matteo stepped on the man’s uninjured hand, demanding, “Talk! Why did you kidnap her?”
“Ah!” The man’s face was contorted into a grotesque expression. “I didn’t hurt her. I just took a little bit of her blood…”
He abruptly stopped, recalling the warning over the phone, aware that revealing too much would lead to dire consequences. Even though men involved in shady deals like him had heard plenty of menacing words, it was only when the man over the phone spoke that he felt a real shiver down his spine. For the first time, he was genuinely scared.
But Matteo had heard enough and pressed on, “You took her blood? Why take her blood?”