Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
“When you were known as Alexis Clement, perhaps you were. But have you forgotten your real name?” Cornell added coolly, “Mr. Darin Rayne.”
“What? What the hell!”
Alexis’ face registered shock as if struck by lightning. How could this be? How could Cornell know his previous name as Darin Rayne? It was utterly impossible.
Alexis was pretty sure Cornell had no idea about his previous name being Darin Rayne. After all, Kyler had heeded his advice, for the sake of Cornell’s psychological and physical well-being intact by convincing Cornell they were connected by blood. All the evidence about where Cornell came from had been hidden away.
After Kyler’s death, Alexis had personally opened Kyler’s safe and destroyed those records.
With this reassurance, Alexis gradually regained his composure. He assumed Cornell had just caught wind of a rumor and was trying to use it to trick him. He couldn’t let Cornell get to him!
“You little rascal, don’t think you can smear my name like this!”
With his hands on his hips, Alexis declared confidently, “Everyone here can see clearly. They know you’re aware of your origins, and now, out of shame and spite, you’re trying to tarnish my reputation!”
Cornell gave a cold smile. “Mr. Darin Rayne, if you’ve forgotten who you really are, allow me to jog everyone’s memory. Please…”
Before Cornell could continue, Alexis panicked. “You little scoundrel! I’ll teach you a lesson you’ll never forget!”
In his fury, Alexis started to unfasten his belt, but the more flustered he got, the less he managed to undo it. Out of exasperation, he grabbed his shoe and hurled it at Cornell.
Unexpectedly, one of Cornell’s bodyguards kicked it back like kicking a soccer ball.
Then came with a “thud!”
The shoe hit Alexis in the chest, and he tumbled to the ground. He immediately started to wail. “The young beating the old. It’s madness. This brat has lost his mind! Seize him and give him a good thrashing!”
Cap?tulo 922:
As Alexis lay on the ground, Henley quickly rushed to his side, supporting his arm and back, and asked with concern, “Father, are you alright?”
Alexis wasn’t about to claim he was fine. He exaggerated his pain!
He moaned. “Oh, my chest hurts terribly. I fear it may have damaged something internally… Oh… Oh…”
Alexis groaned dramatically, and Henley joined in, pointing at Cornell. “You’ve really gone too far. My father took care of you for years. How can you stand by and let your men attack him?”
Cornell’s lips twitched into a smirk, replying, “Isn’t this simply getting what he deserves?”
With a cold chuckle, Cornell gazed at Henley and Alexis. “You and your father are both thieves. He’s the one who really hurt my grandfather after all these years of trust!”
Unable to stand the accusation, Henley lunged at Cornell, aiming to grab Cornell by the collar and teach him a lesson.
Surely, Henley thought, the weak Cornell would be no match for him.
Alexis, clutching his chest and gasping, held Henley back. He felt it was better if he alone played the clown and the scoundrel. He wished for Henley to preserve his refined appearance.
“You unfilial son, now that your grandfather is gone, you think you are beyond control.” Alexis breathed heavily. “Alright, so be it. Today, in front of everyone, we, the Clement family, officially cut all ties with Cornell. Hear me? You’re on your own now!”
Then, Alexis ordered, “Get him out of our family. Since he’s acting out, don’t blame me if I have to act tough. Kick him out now, especially since the wedding expenses came from our Clement accounts.”
At this, Katie paled, her expression filled with alarm. “Alexis, you mustn’t do this!” She didn’t want her wedding to become a spectacle.
Alexis then feigned a broken heart. “Katie, I don’t want to be harsh, but he has hurt me deeply. He shows no remorse or willingness to apologize, and he dares to slander me!”
Alexis clutched at his chest, seeking sympathy. “I, Alexis Clement, have lived with integrity for fifty years. He can’t just slander me as he wishes. He must…”
Cornell interrupted Alexis’ theatric speech; his eyes scornful. “The name Alexis Clement. You don’t deserve to use it, Mr. Darin Rayne!”
The constant repetition of “Mr. Darin Rayne” resonated with the audience. Why did Cornell persist in calling Alexis by Darin Rayne?
What could this imply?
As everyone’s focus returned to the stage, Cornell clarified coldly, “As a child, you were abandoned on the streets due to illness and were fortuitously discovered by my grandfather. Noticing a slight resemblance to my biological father, my grandfather took you in.”
Afterward, a fortune-teller warned of disasters in your life that only a family from our world could prevent. Feeling sorry for you, my grandfather agreed and declared you his own.
When you were under my grandfather’s care for thirteen years, my parents passed away in a car crash. I was just a baby at the time.
When you noticed my grandfather’s pity for me, you quickly offered to take me in, saying it was for my own good, based on what another fortune-teller had said.
“You were just looking out for yourself and aiming to use me to guarantee your spot as the Clement family’s sole heir. I suspect your abrupt withdrawal last time was because Beuford confronted you with this truth.”
Cornell’s revelation left everyone speechless. They had come to witness a lavish, routine wedding, yet found themselves amid a series of shocking disclosures.
It turned out that Alexis was not a blood Clement but an adopted child, while Cornell was the true grandson.
Cap?tulo 923:
Alexis remained frozen for a long while until Henley jolted him back to reality.
Henley then murmured urgently, “So what if he knows? Without proof, it’s useless. Who can prove he’s the son of that deceased old man?”
The realization struck Alexis powerfully, snapping him back to his senses. Indeed, even if Cornell knew the truth, what could he actually do with it?
Anyone who could have confirmed it was no longer alive. Anything connected to Kyler at home had been burned or wrecked. There was no DNA evidence remaining. What was there to worry about?
Regaining his confidence, Alexis scoffed. “Cornell, it’s astonishing that you would fabricate such a wild story just to stake a claim on the Clement fortune! You think knowing about my past gives you the authority to spin such stories. You’re the child Kyler adopted, yet you try to pin this story on me, which is absolutely absurd and shameful!”
Both stuck to their conflicting stories, leaving everyone baffled and unsure of whom to trust.
Suddenly, applause erupted from the dining area’s entrance, catching everyone off guard.
A smartly dressed man entered, clapping as he walked toward Alexis.
As Alexis caught sight of the man’s face, his eyes shot open in shock.
The man halted before Alexis, his tone calm and measured, saying, “It’s been a long time.”
This greeting altered Alexis’ face dramatically. His jaw dropped as he stammered, “You… Why are you still alive?”
Alexis blinked rapidly, struggling to grasp the reality of the man standing before him, very much alive.
As Alexis’ face grew pale, the man’s lips twisted into a slight smirk. “How could I not be alive to hear such an intriguing story? But I must say, your ability to spin stories has certainly improved over the years.”
Alexis was visibly rattled, looking at the man and nervously saying, “Hector, just because Kyler isn’t here anymore, don’t think you can just make things up.”
The man confronting Alexis was indeed the long-absent Hector.
In his youth, Hector fell out with Kyler due to a woman, and since then, he has stayed away from all matters concerning the Clement Group.
It wasn’t that Kyler had pushed Hector out. On the contrary, Kyler had greatly valued Hector’s talents and wanted him to guide Cornell.
But Hector was a hopeless romantic. He had once been deeply in Love with a woman and even helped her flee from Berton. Kyler, misunderstanding Hector’s intentions as an elopement with the woman, strongly disapproved and intervened.
By the time Hector tried to locate the woman, it was already too late. Their lives had dramatically changed by the time they met again, leading to an almost impossible scenario of them being together anymore.
Disheartened, Hector left the city and started a business elsewhere.
Holding a grudge against Kyler over this, he had withdrawn from the Clement family affairs.
Kyler had his own consideration. The origins of the woman Hector adored from the Warburton family were complicated, with both her parents gone, but she was undeniably dazzling. At that time, the 18-year-old Hector couldn’t have been capable of protecting her.
By the time Hector could stand on his own, their paths had already split, and they had missed each other.
All these years, Kyler never spoke of Hector publicly, but privately, he regretted his interference, wishing he had supported Hector instead. Maybe things would have turned out differently.
But Kyler never imagined Casey, the woman Hector held dearly, was actually Audrey’s biological mother. The woman Hector treasured and the one Cornell loved were actually mother and daughter.
That Audrey had Casey’s eyes was precisely why Hector had been attentive to Audrey. After all, Casey was the woman who had once captured his heart.
Cap?tulo 924:
Observing Alexis’ greedy look, Hector couldn’t help but scoff. “After spending years living with the Clements, it seemed you started to have an illusion of being rightful to claim all the Clement wealth as yours.”
Before Alexis could respond, Hector called out Alexis’ old name, “Darin Rayne.”
Instantly, the crowd erupted into whispers and murmurs.
Back at the earlier exchange between Cornell and Alexis, people were unsure whom to believe. Now, the truth seemed clear. Both Clement family members had identified Alexis as “Darin Rayne,” suggesting the truth was out.
In that case, Alexis’ actions were utterly reprehensible. He was like a cruel and sneaky villain. Not only did he disregard the kindness Kyler had shown him, but he also schemed to disinherit the only grandson to take over the Clement family’s wealth all for himself. Such actions were utterly cruel!
Henley was utterly confused, unaware of any of this. Previously, Alexis had merely told him that Cornell was not his biological son to calm him down, urging him to follow his lead and wait for a timely moment.
At that time, Henley was thrilled, believing that since Cornell was merely an adopted child, he was of higher standing. But now, all his happiness has vanished, feeling Like being doused with icy water. He was not a fool. Hector wouldn’t have made such serious accusations without basis. There had to be proof.
Henley couldn’t believe that his background was now more shameful than he had thought. To make things worse, he now had the infamous reputation of colluding with his ungrateful father. Frustrated, he turned to question Alexis, “Is it true?”
Alexis lowered his head guiltily, unable to bring himself to meet Henley’s eyes.