Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
As Cornell walked away with heavy steps, Amilia remained rooted to her spot, afraid of provoking his displeasure and unable to follow him.
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She speculated that those of wealth were subject to erratic changes in mood. Nevertheless, now that she held the membership to Kingbel Club, it seemed inevitable that their paths would intersect again.
With that notion lingering in her thoughts, Amilia reached into her pocket and retrieved a pristine business card Cornell had given to her. She carefully entered his name and number into her phone.
“Matteo Jenkins,” Amilia murmured the name printed on the business card under her breath several times, noting his title as an executive assistant.
Oblivious to the truth that Cornell didn’t tell her his true name and simply handed her his assistant’s business card, Amilia started to consider her next step. In her mind, although this job title seemed modest, the ease with which he provided her the membership hinted at substantial wealth, likely in the hundreds of millions.
Moreover, he was incredibly handsome. Amilia was smitten. Her heart had been captivated from the instant she saw him.
Cornell strode toward the parking lot, sensing a slight discomfort in his body. He had remained seated for an extended period this evening and had foregone his customary therapeutic bath.
Having waited in the car, Matteo received a text from an unknown number.
The message read, “Hey, Matteo, it’s Amilia. Here’s my number. Thanks for today. I’d like to treat you to a meal sometime.”
Frowning, Matteo promptly blocked the number.
Upon spotting Cornell’s approach, Matteo swiftly exited the car, opening the door for him.
As his fingers brushed the door handle, Matteo whispered, “Someone is following us.”
Cornell’s demeanor shifted to seriousness. Without a word, he readied himself to enter the car.
Just then, a voice called out from behind, “Cornell!”
Cornell turned around, only to be tightly embraced by Audrey.
Audrey nestled her head against his chest, absorbing the texture of his shirt, the faint medicinal aroma, and his cold presence. It all aligned perfectly! Realization dawned. The person who had held her in the club earlier was indeed Cornell!
Audrey gazed up at Cornell, finding his eyes unusually serene, devoid of emotion.
With her suspicions confirmed, Audrey’s heart raced with excitement, her eyes reddening. “Cornell,” she murmured, still partly embraced, unwilling to release him. “It was you just now, wasn’t it? It was you, wasn’t it?”
Meanwhile, Matteo had discreetly faded into the background, positioning himself where he wouldn’t draw attention.
Cornell’s handsome countenance remained impassive, devoid of any discernible emotion, while Audrey’s tears flowed unabated.
Audrey dreaded the possibility of hearing hurtful words from Cornell.
Though her vision was blurred by swollen, teary eyes, the physical closeness was undeniable. Every subtle cue suggested Cornell still cared about her. How could she believe his claim that he no longer loved her?
Clutching Cornell’s shirt tightly, Audrey sobbed. “Janey mentioned that you shielded her from hitting the table corner that day. I’m sorry for misunderstanding you. But could you at least give me a hint about your reasons of being this cold to me? I’m losing my confidence…”
Despite her puffy eyes, Audrey’s beauty remained undiminished. The faint glow of the streetlights lent a poignant air, akin to a pristine white lily fallen to the ground.
“A hint?” Cornell’s lips curved into a faint, disdainful smile. “What would you like to hear?”
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Audrey stood, stunned by his response. As her emotions settled, she realized his gaze upon her held a hint of derision, as though she were some lunatic.
Yet, he made no move to resist as she embraced him. His lips twisted with a trace of disdain. “There’s a certain allure to beauty illuminated by Lamplight. If you wish to hear something, I can oblige.”
Though Audrey attempted to speak, her lips felt as if they were sealed shut, rendering her voiceless.
Cornell’s gaze at Audrey seemed to suggest she was unhinged. He spoke casually. “My mother is still recovering from illness. I simply pushed the child aside without much thought. I hadn’t anticipated such a convoluted emotional entanglement from your end. It’s a pity you’re not a writer.”
Cornell’s gaze felt like a sharp knife, cutting through Audrey’s consciousness, leaving her trembling fingertips tightly clutching her shirt.
“The embrace is even more absurd. I did embrace someone, but it was plain for anyone to see whom I embraced.” Cornell’s intense, dark gaze swept over Audrey briefly, and he remarked casually, “You appear unwell. Did you have a restless night, imagining things?”
Though it seemed like a gesture of concern, it was actually more of an insinuation that Audrey’s mental state was unstable and she might be experiencing hallucinations.
Cornell carefully disengaged Audrey’s tightly gripped hand from around his waist, applying pressure that caused her discomfort and pain. Then, he said word by word, his words humiliating, “Miss Foster, emotions can be fresh and expired. Is it truly so challenging to end a relationship respectfully without causing distress to others?”
Audrey’s hand throbbed with pain from being pried away, and her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. Part of her urged resilience, pushing her to try to see things from Cornell’s perspective. Maybe what he was going through was even more challenging and incomprehensible than her own struggles.
Yet, doubts gnawed at her, whispering that if his love had faded, she should accept it without misunderstanding or becoming a source of ridicule or burden to others.
In the end, Audrey resolved to summon courage once more, clinging to hope like a drowning person clutching at a lone straw. She refused to give up easily.
As Cornell was poised to enter the car, Audrey seized his arm and spoke with unwavering determination. “Cornell, I want you to swear to the Gods that you mean every word you say to me.”
A flicker of impatience crossed Cornell’s eyes, suggesting he found her approach immature.
Audrey acknowledged her own childishness, yet she believed this to be the most direct path to clarity. “Swear that you truly no Longer love me. If it’s a falsehood…”
Her gaze met Cornell’s cold, unfeeling countenance, and she pronounced each word deliberately. “Then I’ll rot in hell!”
The curse carried a sharp edge. Understanding Cornell deeply, Audrey believed this tactic would compel him to reveal his true emotions.
She held his gaze unwaveringly, unwilling to miss any nuance or hint.
“Once you swear, I’ll never trouble you again.”
Cornell pursed his lips tightly and fell into silence. Despite having wounded her with words moments ago, he now found himself unable to speak.
Audrey sensed a glimmer of hope. Clutching his arm tightly and keeping her gaze locked on his face, she repeated, “Cornell, just swear!”
Cornell remained unresponsive, his expression unchanged and devoid of emotion.
In contrast to his calm demeanor, Audrey’s persistence verged on desperation. She continued to grip his arm, pushing him relentlessly.
“Cornell, swear!”
She didn’t want to become the person who forced herself upon others.
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However, if this continued, Audrey felt she couldn’t endure it any longer and feared she would collapse under the strain.
Yearning for closure, Audrey craved an outcome, a sign that would provide clarity, even if it meant letting go. Anything would suffice to free her from the entanglement of her emotions. Really, anything would do…
Tears welled in her red and swollen eyes as she smiled through the pain. “Cornell, you wouldn’t dare, would you?”
It felt like she was on the verge of victory. Releasing his arm, she adopted a Lighter tone. “In that case, could you hold my hand for just a moment?”
She pleaded, “Just for a moment.”
The fleeting touch would grant her the strength to persevere.
Cornell hesitated briefly and then raised his hand.
Audrey’s heart skipped a beat before her tearful gaze met his, and she reached out without hesitation. This was the moment she had been waiting for. She longed to share with him the news that they were expecting twins.
Cornell’s large palm seemed within reach as if Audrey could grasp it with just a fraction of a millimeter.
Audrey’s hand trembled, tears streaming down her face, rendering her unable to speak.
The next moment, his hand bypassed hers, landing instead on her shoulder, pushing her forcefully against the car window. The action was harsh, devoid of any tenderness. He taunted, “Miss Foster, has the fantasy ended?”
Audrey stared at Cornell, dazed.
Cornell’s deep eyes were cold, and a smirk played on his lips. “How many ridiculous notions do you harbor? Speak them all, won’t you?”
Cornell’s handsome face retained its charm, yet it now bore an icy coldness. After the mockery dissipated, only a heavy, oppressive atmosphere lingered.
Audrey’s courage, on which she had staked everything, crumbled in an instant. Her heart felt wrenched out and left to freeze in the biting wind, causing excruciating pain. Despair enveloped her. Her arm, once gripping tightly, gave way weakly against the icy car body.
Inside and out, the chill was relentless.
Cornell observed the pallor of her lips and the weariness etched on her face, momentarily rendered speechless. A fleeting urge to approach her washed over him, but his legs remained stubbornly rooted, leaving him frozen in place. In his perception, it seemed like sharp needles were forcefully piercing his head, causing unbearable pain.
Eventually, Cornell ceased trying to approach her, tightened his fists, and spoke in a chilling tone. “It appears my performance was so striking that Miss Foster cannot forget it or find a replacement.”
Audrey weakly murmured, “Cornell, does embarrassing me truly bring you joy?”
Right then, another dark vehicle pulled up behind them, catching Cornell’s attention. He sneered, “Do you consider this embarrassing?”
Then, he curved his fingers and traced them along Audrey’s elegant neck, pausing briefly at her collarbone, before abruptly tearing it, shredding the delicate sweater that clung to Audrey’s figure.
A surge of cold air enveloped Audrey, and she gazed at Cornell in shock, feeling exposed and frightened. Instinctively, she lifted her hand to shield the torn collar, only to have it grasped by him.
Cornell’s voice carried an enticing charm, yet it was laced with venom. “Remember, this is humiliation.”
With that, he casually lifted his hand, hooking it onto Audrey’s comfortable sports bra, quipping sarcastically, “If you wish to entice someone, consider wearing something more enticing, perhaps a short skirt like those seen in clubs. It would undoubtedly capture attention more effectively.”