Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Just as Janey was about to head to the car with Annis, the man selling the marshmallows was hit by a motorcycle.
Despite the heavy traffic, nobody lent a hand to the man. Ever a kind girl, Janey took Annis’ hand and hurried over, wanting to assess the situation and get Annis to call for assistance.
Unexpectedly, as they approached and showed concern, a_ strong fragrance overwhelmed them, making Janey and Annis dizzy and disoriented. Shortly thereafter, a car pulled up and they were swiftly taken away.
Whenever Audrey recalled the incident, a chill ran down her spine.
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How could there be people so wicked, using someone’s kindness for their own evil intentions?
Later, the bodies of the kidnappers and their car were found in the river. Audrey suspected that someone had silenced them to cover up the crime.
Audrey felt no pity for them. They had this fate coming. By carrying out such schemes, they were practically digging their own graves, having not seen they were merely pawns in the whole scheme, death looming over once their mission was fulfilled.
Though the kidnappers’ bodies were found, Audrey had a suspect of the mastermind behind the scenes. The mastermind, efficient and merciless, spared none once her desired results were achieved. It bore the hallmark of “the Glyn family.”
Outwardly, the Foster family seemed to move past the incident, but privately, they never stopped gathering evidence. Many challenges Audrey couldn’t handle alone were privately managed by Erick. Never in this lifetime would the Foster family let go of those targeted Janey. No matter how long it took, they would catch the mastermind behind it all.
The next day.
After sorting out her work, Audrey scheduled a dinner date with a man. He was a friend of her father and had helped with a major business transaction.
Audrey arrived early at the restaurant to wait for him.
Shortly, a middle-aged man with a distinguished presence entered and immediately noticed Audrey at the table. He greeted her with a wave, “Audrey.”
Audrey promptly stood up and greeted him respectfully, “Benson.”
Once seated, they enjoyed a meal while discussing business.
After they finished eating, Benson Prescott asked, “Audrey, do you know any casual places around for meetings? I have two friends who’d like to meet.”
“I know just the place. I’m familiar with the manager. Let me book it for you and show you the way.”
“Would that be inconvenient for you?”
“Not at all. Benson, you’ve come a long way to Ardlens. Tonight, I’ll handle the arrangements.”
“Great, those two friends also have business ties with you. You’ll meet them later.”
“That sounds fine.”
If it were someone else, Audrey wouldn’t consider tagged along and met up. However, Benson had been a longtime friend of her father and always treated her like his own daughter. He was someone she trusted implicitly.
They soon reached a nearby club, just a ten-minute drive away.
The club had an exclusive vibe, like a lounge, perfect for sipping drinks and talking without the noise.
The main requirement was that it was exclusive to members only, and one needed a certain status and wealth to join. This was to prevent it from getting too crowded.
Despite senior than Audrey, Benson was only in his forties and appeared youthful due to his mindset.
Soon after they settled in, Benson’s friends joined them, one bringing his wife along.
Upon the introduction, Benson’s friends showed great respect to Audrey, exchanging business cards and expressing interest in future collaborations.
Audrey found herself enjoying a delightful conversation with the wife.
Since it was only around 8 o’clock, Audrey wasn’t in a rush to head back. She enjoyed the chat instead.
Not long after, the one who took his wife with him had to leave early for other commitments. Before leaving, his wife scheduled a visit to Audrey’s studio in two days. Audrey happily agreed.
After seeing them off at the door, Audrey returned to her seat, only to find a familiar figure deeply engaged in conversation with Benson.
Cornell sat casually on the sofa, his long legs stretched out, in a relaxed position. His white shirt’s collar was slightly open, showing off his delicate collarbones. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his strong, slim forearms with subtle veins, radiating an indescribable sexiness. Even in the dimly lit corner, he still caught the eye of all the women in the room.
Even though Audrey hadn’t actively kept up with Cornell’s updates over the past couple of days, she had heard about the significant changes occurring in the Clement Group from her colleagues.
It was rumored that the Clement Group was undergoing significant reforms, with Cornell eliminating all of Alexis’ supporters.
At first, only a few stayed neutral. But once word of Cornell’s disappearance spread, they quickly switched sides and joined Alexis’ side. Without Cornell’s these wouldn’t have disappearance, people shown their true colors and been cleared out.
Now, Alexis and Henley were on their own in the company, and Cornell could remove them in seconds. This seemed to explain why Cornell appeared so self-assured and relaxed now.
As Audrey gazed at Cornell’s handsome and striking face, a thought crossed her mind that maybe she had misjudged him from the start.
Maybe Cornell didn’t face any extraordinary challenges. Perhaps his strange behavior was simply because his feelings for her had changed.
Audrey hesitated for a moment before walking over.
As Audrey walked up, Benson greeted her warmly, took her hand, and introduced her to Cornell. “This is my friend’s daughter, Audrey Foster. She runs a studio in Ardlens. Cornell, please look out for her in the future.”
Cornell’s lips tightened slightly, his gaze lingering uncertainly as he replied, “Benson, I know her.”
Audrey managed a smile, glad Cornell didn’t attack straight into his usual sarcastic comments.
Benson, surprised yet pleased, exclaimed, “You know each other? That’s even better! Audrey is both stunning and talented.”
Benson was obviously unaware of their relationship, and his words hinted at trying to set them up, instantly making the atmosphere uncomfortable.
Cornell nodded casually and replied, “Yes, that’s right.” It was clear he didn’t want to pursue this topic any Longer.
Benson sensed the awkwardness. Although he admired Cornell, he had no intention of forcing a connection between them.
Audrey noticed this and, worried that Benson’s good intentions might lead to an awkward situation, shifted the conversation. “Benson, how do you know Mr. Clement?”
At Audrey’s way of addressing him, Cornell’s hand tightened on his cup.
Audrey didn’t notice Cornell’s reaction as she turned to look at Benson.
Benson responded with a smile, “We met at an art exhibition. Cornell and I had a great conversation and we really connected.”
Benson’s friend across the table grinned and suggested, “Since you two have such a good connection, let’s toast to that.”
As he spoke, he raised his glass, prompting everyone to join in the toast.
Audrey’s glass was filled with grape juice, but it resembled wine.
Just as she was about to drink, Cornell abruptly moved his arm, causing her glass to spill. He apologized with a flat expression, “Sorry.”
Audrey was left speechless. She poured herself another glass of grape juice from a special pitcher. Benson, knowing Audrey didn’t drink alcohol, had arranged for this pitcher, though others were unaware.
Just as Audrey was putting down the pitcher, Cornell’s elbow unexpectedly lifted again.
“Clang!” This time, the pitcher Audrey was holding got knocked over.
Audrey was truly at a loss for words.
“I’m sorry,” Cornell said, his voice indifferent and showing no sincerity.
Just as Audrey began to suspect that Cornell’s actions were intentional, he signaled to a waiter. “Could you please bring a pot of water for this lady?”
Audrey couldn’t shake the feeling that Cornell had done it on purpose.
Maybe he thought she was drinking alcohol?
Once this thought took hold, Audrey couldn’t let it go. Why did it matter to Cornell if she drank? The old Cornell knew that even a little alcohol made her disoriented, so he had always made sure she stayed away from it. Could it be…
Audrey stood up, excusing herself to go to the restroom where she splashed cold water on her face to clear her thoughts. Looking at her pale reflection, she couldn’t recall the last time she had genuinely smiled from the heart.
Then, Audrey remembered Janey’s words of Cornell’s protective actions.
And now he made efforts to steer her away from alcohol. ALL gradually fueled the hope in her heart.
After composing herself, Audrey made her way back to her seat. On her way back, she noticed that Benson and his friend were no longer at their table but were dancing on the dance floor. So, that was to say, Cornell was the only one left sitting there.
With this in mind, Audrey quickened her pace, eager to ask Cornell some questions.
However, before Audrey could get close, she saw a trendy, attractive woman approaching Cornell. The woman leaned in close to whisper something in his ear.
Audrey moved a bit closer and overheard the woman asking for Cornell’s contact information on behalf of her friend.
Audrey followed the woman’s gaze and saw the friend Looking over with a bold, confident stare, which made Audrey feel uneasy.
Audrey had been sitting next to Cornell all evening, making it hard for those two girls to deduce whether she was with Cornell or not.
Yet, they seized the moment Audrey left for the restroom to ask for Cornell’s contact information, even casting flirtatious glances his way. This behavior truly disgusted people.
When the girl noticed Audrey approaching, she didn’t back off.