Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Cornell’s gaze was intense, his arm muscles tightening, only intensifying the moment.
Audrey’s thoughts were scattered, as if her mind was clouded. She let out a gentle moan, her lips parting ever so slightly.
“No… Don’t… I can’t handle anymore,” she whispered, her voice soft and warm, her face glowing with a shy appeal.
Cornell looked at her more intensely. “Is talking big all you’ve got?”
Audrey decided it was best not to argue back. His endurance and skills in sexual intercourse were undeniable. If she talked back, he’d definitely “punish” her with actions.
A blush crept into Audrey’s eyes, and she uttered softly, “You know me…”
Cornell noted her exhausted look and remembered she had just taken care of his needs and cleaned him up.
Trying to suppress his desire, Cornell tenderly kissed Audrey on the forehead, smiling slightly. “I’ll get you a yoga instructor tomorrow.”
“What?” Audrey looked puzzled by the sudden change in topic.
Cornell, his eyes warm with affection, gently stroked her hair. His voice was a bit rough as he explained, “You get tired too easily because you don’t exercise enough.”
Audrey’s face turned bright red. “Quit it!”
But Cornell, seemingly ignoring her embarrassment, whispered playfully in her ear, “I’ve heard yoga really helps with flexibility. There are lots of different poses we could try…”
Audrey couldn’t take it anymore. She gave him a light slap and then covered her ears. “Stop it! I don’t want to hear anymore!”
Cornell just laughed. “Then don’t come complaining about aches and pains later…”
Yoga poses could be quite a challenge. And yet… What man wouldn’t be curious to try?
Hearing his insinuating remarks, Audrey knew plugging her ears wasn’t enough. She had to silence him.
“Stop talking!” With that, she placed her hand gently over his mouth.
Cornell chuckled, his laughter causing him to shake and unintentionally hurt his injury, making him grimace.
Audrey, ever so alert, caught his pained sound and turned around in worry. “Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?”
Noticing Audrey’s concern, Cornell wished he could just embrace her.
“It’s fine, really.” He frowned, pressing her head against his chest, lying to ease her worry.
Unable to see his face but reassured by his steady voice, Audrey’s anxiety faded away. She relaxed into his hold, too comfortable to move.
Their quiet moment together was incredibly warm.
Cornell refrained from further teasing, soothingly running his fingers through her hair, his voice rich and captivating. “It wasn’t all about my grandpa.”
Audrey froze and then it clicked. Cornell was referring to Henley’s earlier taunts.
Cornell gently revealed “Actually, I noticed you even before you joined the Clement Group.”
Audrey was shocked.
Cornell went on, “At Ardlens University’s 7@th anniversary, I was there as a guest. Back then, I was constantly on the move for the Clement Group, swamped with work and sorting out some issues within the company. A professor I really admire invited me because I had once donated a building. During the latter part of the celebration, I decided to leave early. While I was waiting for my car, I noticed a girl heading toward the school’s artificial lake. I was afraid she might jump in, so I hurried over. But, it turns out, she wasn’t about to jump.”
Cornell smiled softly and added, “I saw her with a little butterfly net, trying to save a cat that had ended up in the middle of the lake. Despite the freezing cold, with temperatures way below freezing, she waded into the lake to get the cat. Once the girl got the cat out, it wasn’t breathing, so she gave it CPR for twenty minutes. Then, she wrapped it in her coat, and when the cat started breathing again, her smile was the brightest I’d ever seen.”
Cornell gazed at Audrey. “I’ve never seen such a beautiful smile before.”
Audrey was stunned. “Was it you who gave me a coat back then?”
Audrey remembered it clearly. It was bitterly cold that day. Her pants were soaked, and she was huddled in her coat, freezing, while holding the cat. Then, a man in a suit came by, covered her with his coat, and walked away before she could say anything.
“Yeah, I had my driver send it to you,” Cornell said, smiling. “I’m glad we met again after that.”
Audrey’s eyes widened. “The, the time after we had drinks…”
“You think I’m that easy?” Cornell playfully tapped her nose, a smile spreading across his face. “I let it happen because it was you.”
Anyone else would have been escorted out right away by his bodyguards.
Audrey’s expression was beyond shock. So, she wasn’t just a random pick for him? Their sexual intercourse after having some drinks wasn’t a coincidence. He played along because she was the girl he had met before, which he used as an excuse to marry her.
Cornell had always been a man of depth and integrity. To make it up to Cecilia for the life-saving favor he assumed, he had generously gifted Cecilia with estates and money, granting her a carefree life ahead.
Cornell never toyed with Audrey’s feelings.
Audrey’s heart skipped a beat, struggling to put her emotions into words. It was a heart-fluttering sensation. She began to see Cornell in a new light, realizing just how remarkable he was. His earnestness brought her a sense of security and comfort.
A sweetness filled Audrey, as though her heart was coated in honey.
Their paths hadn’t crossed by chance. Their drunken encounter was a deliberate leap toward each other.
Audrey decided it was time to open up. “Cornell, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.”
Cornell caressed her head, his voice gentle. “Yes?”
Audrey gazed up at him with determination. “I’ve had feelings for you for a really long time.”
“For how long?”
“Ten whole years.”
“What… What do you mean…” Cornell, usually so good with words, suddenly found himself stammering at Audrey’s revelation.
He was utterly astonished. Had Audrey actually said she liked him for ten whole years?
Audrey felt a little embarrassed. She was an introvert and always kept her feelings to herself, especially when it came to matters of heart. If it weren’t for Cornell’s selfless rescue and heartfelt confession of his feelings, she would have kept this secret buried inside her.
“I Like you…” Audrey glanced down, fiddling with her fingers as she finally let it out. “Cornell, I’ve liked you in silence for ten years. You’ve always been the one in my heart.”
Everything seemed to freeze at that moment.
To Cornell, the surrounding noise faded into a distant hum. Audrey liked him for ten whole years.
Cornell, momentarily forgetting about his injuries, tried to sit up quickly but was met with sharp pain. He hissed in pain.
In a panic, Audrey pushed him gently back down, urging, “Stay still! Are you okay? Do we need to get a doctor?” Anxiety and concern were evident on her face, her hand reaching out to press the button and call for the doctor.
Cornell stopped Audrey by clutching her hand. “Audrey…”
Despite his pain, he didn’t pay heed to his injuries. His mind was a whirlwind of shock.
“Was it really me you had liked starting from ten years ago?” He was in disbelief, afraid that he had misheard or he was simply having illusions. “Could you pinch me? Am I dreaming?”
His excitement was evident, drawing Audrey’s hand to his face for a hit to confirm the reality himself. “It’s no dream!” he exclaimed.
Audrey was amused by his reaction, beaming. She felt an overwhelming tenderness. Seeing this side of Cornell, surprised and bewildered, was a delightful contrast.
Audrey’s voice, gentle and sweet, carried her confession. “Cornell, I’ve had feelings for you for a long span of time!”
Cornell’s face showed more emotions than ever before, displaying a blend of joy and astonishment. “When was that exactly?”
Audrey’s face fell as she recalled the past. “Remember me asking if you’d ever been to Tenassie?”
“Yeah.” Cornell did recall. It was on their way back from paying respects to her grandmother.
He gave it some thought but confirmed he had never visited Tenassie.
However, with Audrey mentioning it again, he started to piece things together. “Did our paths cross there?”
Audrey confirmed with a nod, “Back then, I was attending middle school in Tenassie. My grandmother had no means of income, and my uncle wasn’t dependable. To ease my grandmother’s financial strain, I dedicated myself to my studies in hopes of earning scholarships. The school recognized my efforts, rewarding me with scholarships for three years and covering all my tuition and boarding expenses. Yet, this generosity from the school sparked envy among some fellows. One Friday, on my way back to my grandmother’s house, they confronted me on the road. Despite being outnumbered, I stood my ground and defended myself with a brick.”
This memory was vivid in Audrey’s mind. She had only one thought at that moment. Showing weakness would only invite more bullying. She was determined to stand strong and show them she was no pushover.
On that day, her clothes were ripped, but she faced the harsh cold wind defiantly. Word by word, she warned her bullies, “If you hurt me, this won’t end here. I’ll report it to the school, and if the school does nothing, I’ll take it to the town education bureau. If they don’t handle it, I’ll escalate it to the county, then the city. I’ll ensure you face consequences!”
Bullies often picked on those they perceived as weak. They saw Audrey as an easy mark because she had no parents to stand up for her. Back then, Audrey just had a frail grandmother and an indifferent uncle who wouldn’t cause a fuss.
However, Audrey was well aware of this tactic. Understanding she couldn’t count on anyone but herself, she resolved to stand up to the bullying.
Audrey’s resolve frightened the bullies away. But as they left, one of them, not quite ready to back down, intentionally kicked Audrey’s school bag into the river, sarcastically remarking, “Oops, didn’t see it there. Your bag was in the way.”
What the school didn’t know was that Audrey’s uncle had taken the money her grandmother had saved for her college education.
The school had been supportive of Audrey. She felt she couldn’t ask for more without feeling embarrassed.
And her grandmother, feeling guilty for not being able to provide the needed money, fell sick. Even while feeling sick, her grandmother would collect empty plastic bottles to sell, saving every penny she could.
The teacher realized Audrey hadn’t bought the new textbooks but didn’t make a big deal out of it, instead giving her the practice books left over from other students. The practice books were practically new.