Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Cornell was already here for her. Audrey believed if she persisted, he would come through for her.
Audrey clung to that steering wheel, not just for herself but for Janey and all who cherished her.
Cecilia caught sight of Cornell’s determined visage close by and saw the intense hatred in his gaze.
“Release… Release her!” Cornell demanded.
The wind and resistance made it tough for Cornell to speak clearly.
Cornell repeated with emphatic force, “Release her!”
Cecilia’s eyes flared with rage, a twisted smile emerging. “Ah, Cornell, so you’ve come at last!”
Cornell exerted immense strength and focused on action, dragging Cecilia out with all his might.
With Cecilia’s grip broken, coughs sounded from Audrey.
Despite her coughing fit, Audrey stubbornly clung to the steering wheel, unwilling to release her grip.
Cornell felt a bit relieved as the immediate danger seemed to ease up.
However, that relief was short-lived, as Cecilia brandished a syringe.
Her manic laughter filled the air. “Cornell, recognize this?”
Cornell’s gaze turned icy and piercing.
“The last time, I was ready to give her an injection, but you stepped in. This time, I won’t mess up.” Cecilia smiled ominously.
Cecilia’s job assigned by Katie was to give an injection to Audrey.
Cecilia would do it without getting anything in return. Even if it meant her death, she intended to take Audrey down with her.
Still struggling to regain full consciousness, Audrey remained unaware of the confrontation unfolding behind her. She bit down on her tongue, fighting to stay alert, trying vainly to decelerate the uncontrollable vehicle.
Yet, the SUV was messed with. It couldn’t halt!
Cornell could only watch as Cecilia poised the syringe at Audrey’s neck. In a moment of urgency, he cried out, “Cecilia, please, stop!”
After not hearing her name for a while, Cecilia stopped when she heard it again. She turned to face Cornell, her visage marred by blood and tears and twisted by intense feelings. “Cornell, you’re indebted to me. You owe me!”
Cecilia’s voice escalated into a shriek. “I loved you. Why didn’t you reciprocate? Why!”
Seizing the opportunity, Cornell lunged for the syringe. However, Cecilia, flashing a menacing grin, thrust it forcefully toward him.
“If that’s how it is, let’s die together!” Cecilia ranted uncontrollably, “If I can’t be with my beloved, then no one can, not Audrey, not Katie. None of you will have Cornell!”
Faced with a split-second decision, Cornell didn’t falter in his resolve. His choice was clear. He understood the significance of this decision. No matter what, he’d always stick by Audrey, never letting her go.
As Cecilia aimed to administer the injection, Cornell reached for the SUV’s door handle, yanking it open.
The door burst open with a resounding “bang”!
Caught off guard, Cecilia tumbled out. She hit the ground with a heavy “thud.”
Matteo, witnessing the scene, immediately halted to check on Cecilia.
The car’s high speed had left half of Cecilia’s face disfigured. She lay on the ground, not moving, as if she were dead.
Matteo didn’t feel sorry for her. Those who hurt others also hurt themselves.
Matteo dragged Cecilia to the roadside, informed the authorities, and then resumed following the SUV.
The threat of the SUV wasn’t done yet.
Cornell wobbled by the door, his body almost hanging in the air, a risky situation.
“Cornell!” Audrey cried out, fraught with concern.
Trapped by her seatbelt, Audrey could only observe Cornell through the rearview mirror.
“Don’t worry.” Cornell’s voice, steady and deep, tried to soothe her even in the chaos.
The digital timer on the dashboard was ticking down, with only 15 minutes remaining.
Tears flowed, and Audrey sobbed. “I can’t control it… Cornell… I can’t… Get out of the car…”
Dabbing at her eyes, Audrey insisted, “Cornell, as soon as we reach the dirt fields, you need to jump out.”
Cornell disregarded Audrey’s plea.
Holding his breath, Cornell extended his long legs, attempting to hook onto the car’s door frame.
However, the car’s sudden jolt nearly threw Cornell off balance due to inertia.
After failing in his initial attempt, Cornell took a few deep breaths and shifted tactics, climbing from the door up onto the roof.
Audrey’s face paled with terror.
Realizing her pleas were futile, she gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on the steering wheel, striving to keep the car steady.
Finally, with a “bang,” Cornell vaulted onto the roof of the car and swiftly climbed through the sunroof into the car.
Audrey’s face, still pale with shock, betrayed her unease.
Cornell wanted to embrace her, but seeing the countdown timer, he held back. He quickly connected a device and then spoke into a Bluetooth earpiece, addressing Matteo, “How’s it going?”
Within moments, Matteo’s anxious voice crackled through, “Mr. Clement, there are explosives!”
Cornell’s heart sank.
Matteo continued, “They’re under the driver’s seat, enough to level a skyscraper.”
Under the driver’s seat? Cornell’s typically composed demeanor turned ashen. Luckily, Audrey hadn’t moved from her seat.
“How do we handle this?” Cornell’s voice was cold and controlled.
Support had arrived, and Matteo, now relieved of driving duties, had forwarded the SUV’s data to the safety team for strategizing.
With Cornell by her side, Audrey felt a bit less terrified than before. “Are the explosives real?” she asked.
Audrey had only heard that mysterious man mention it, yet she couldn’t ignore the possibility that it might simply be a tactic to frighten her.
Cornell paused briefly before responding honestly, “Yes, they are.”
Audrey visibly shuddered, fear evident in her eyes. Faced with the imminent threat of death, it was only natural for her to be scared.
Cornell felt a pang of empathy for her. “They’re working on a solution. Don’t be afraid. I’ll stay with you.”
Audrey, focusing ahead, tried to maintain her composure. “Cornell, if there’s truly no way out, you have to jump out of the car!”
“I won’t leave,” Cornell responded in a simple and direct manner.
Tears streamed down Audrey’s face as she pleaded, “Cornell, I’m serious. You don’t have to die with me…”
“I won’t let that happen. I’ll ensure you survive,” he reassured her.
Audrey fell silent. Her eyes fixed on the screen, showing only twelve remaining minutes.
Aware of the slim chances, Audrey felt an urgency to speak but struggled to find the right words. “If… If…”
Her voice strained, she managed, “Janey… Take care of Janey… Let her know I love her dearly…”
Audrey’s composure began to slip. Despite the recent ordeal, she’d kept control of the steering wheel, but now her limbs felt rigid with anxiety. “Cornell, get out of this car. Jump out!” she urged.
The car was headed toward a deserted area on what seemed like a predetermined path.
All Audrey needed was to tilt the steering wheel slightly for Cornell to leap onto the nearby muddy ground. Injury was a risk, but it beat certain death.
“Audrey!” Cornell gripped the steering wheel with determination, his voice resolute. “You need to tell Janey yourself that you love her.”
His deep, somber eyes were soothing as he added, “I promise.”
Audrey’s turbulent emotions began to settle.
Just then, the Bluetooth connection sprang back to life.
Cornell, composed in his manner, listened attentively before calmly stating, “Deactivate the screen countdown.”
Audrey’s heart skipped a beat. “Cornell!”