Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
His heart felt empty, filled with dissatisfaction, yet he had to accept it. The things she had mentioned, he truly appeared unable to accomplish. Because in his view, the concept of “selfless dedication” simply didn’t exist.
Henley acknowledged that Audrey had a point. He was a refined egoist, and he only gave if the return was significant and enticing. In a situation where the effort outweighed the reward, he knew what to do.
Shrouded in darkness, Henley murmured, “Audrey, I truly wish for you to live.”
With that, he turned away without hesitation, just as he had when his mother took her last breaths. Was he not fazed? He wasn’t. Yet, he could suppress his feelings, a trait that set him apart.
Unseen by anyone, a tear from Henley’s eyes fell silently onto the carpet.
Audrey regained her composure, her resolve hardened. Her hand, steady now, reached for the yellow fuse wire.
Inside the hall, Katie’s wedding dress was marred with stains. Her overly thick makeup cracked, distorting her features. Usually meticulous, now she disregarded such concerns.
Having secured her safety from Lorenzo’s threat, triumph lit her face.
Confronting Cornell’s intense gaze, Katie taunted, “Cornell, are you worried now?”
Katie smirked, adding, “Ah, I wonder what Lorenzo will do to Audrey once he finds her. Oh…”
She feigned shock, covering her mouth. “Lorenzo wouldn’t really cut open her stomach and take out your child, would he?”
“Shut up!” Cornell’s glare was lethal, his eyes emitting dangerous rays.
“Wow!” Katie tapped her chest, feigning fright. “So fierce, but…”
She chuckled, her voice dripping with coy sarcasm. “What does it matter? You’re still Lorenzo’s prisoner, aren’t you?”
She didn’t wait for a response, buoyed by her own mood. “Cornell, you owe me. You used me to protect the woman you love from disaster. Don’t you feel even a shred of guilt?”
Cornell’s Lips twisted into a cold sneer. “Guilt? For a vile creature like you?” His eyes filled with disdain. “For all you’ve done, being cut to pieces wouldn’t be too much!”
Katie’s expression shifted rapidly. “It was all for you. If you hadn’t loved her, she wouldn’t have suffered. Don’t you see? My suggestion of having Lorenzo take her child out was merciful.”
Cornell replied coolly, “I think you’ll soon experience that mercy for yourself.”
Katie shivered and snapped irrationally, “Nonsense! Even if you die, I won’t. Thinking of dying with her? You two would be perfect as miserable lovers in the afterlife. Wouldn’t that be fitting?”
By now, Katie had abandoned any hope for Cornell. He was fully aware of her actions, and without losing his memory, he would never fall for her.
With no hope remaining, Katie dropped all pretense, revealing her true, malevolent nature. “Cornell, do you think I will let you have your way? Even if you both died, I would keep you apart. I won’t let your graves lie together!”
Her extreme jealousy twisted her features. Her excitement mounting, she declared, “But do you think I’d let you die easily? I’ll keep you alive. Aurora has many secret medicines that will keep your mind alert while your body withers. I want you to see the ruin you become. Your pride, talent, status, all that people envy, you’ll be unable to use. You’ll become nothing, a paralytic, a mere shell…”
As Katie spoke, a chilling smile crept across her face. “Cornell, when that moment arrives, what pride will you have left?”
Her gaze was intense, almost possessed as she punctuated each word, “Remember, if I, Katie, cannot possess something, I’ll ensure it decays or disintegrates before anyone else can claim it!”
Cap?tulo 961:
Suddenly, a loud “Bang!” The clang resonated as a tray hurtled across the room.
“Ah!” Katie paused briefly, before clutching her head and letting out a sharp scream, Blood cascaded down the right side of her face Like a torrent, relentless and unending.
She hadn’t seen Cornell obtain the tray or how he managed to strike her with it. Were his hands not bound? How was this possible?
Terror filled Katie’s eyes as she watched Cornell stand up and approach her. When had he freed himself from his restraints? Now was not the time to dwell on these questions. Cornell was more menacing than any of Maxwell’s men, as if he were capable of tearing her apart on the spot.
“Help me!” Katie screamed in desperation for Maxwell’s men, but the guard who had been watching them had momentarily stepped out.
Another had urgently excused himself to the bathroom after ensuring both were securely tied. Thus, no matter how loudly she screamed, there was no one to hear her.
“Help me! Help…” Before she could finish her plea, excruciating pain erupted through her body.
Cornell stepped on her uninjured hand and twisted it with brutal force.
“Ouch!” Tears flowed down Katie’s cheeks as she cried out, “Cornell… Cornell… You dare, you dare… Wait until Lorenzo hears of this, he will skin you alive…”
The pain nearly drove Katie to madness. She grasped that if Cornell were to escape, Lorenzo would undoubtedly pursue him.
“Give me your medicine,” Cornell demanded coldly, with a broken table leg as a makeshift crutch.
“What… What medicine?” Katie stammered, bewildered.
“What do you think?” Cornell’s face was drawn, a portrait of impatience.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Katie feigned ignorance with a shake of her head. “I was lying. There is no medicine.”
Cornell’s lips barely twitched as he shifted his weight onto his toes, pressing down harder.
“Ah! Ah!” Katie’s scream of agony reverberated through the room.
“Now, do you have it?” Cornell demanded, his voice sharp.
Wincing with pain, Katie reluctantly retrieved a small glass vial and tossed it onto the floor.
Within it, two blue pills were sealed with wax, unmistakably marked by the witch of Aurora. This unique seal, derived from a specific herb, was both indestructible and inimitable.
Katie collapsed, her face pale from the intense pain. “Are you really going to take it? Do you understand what this medicine will do to you?” she gasped.
“I know,” Cornell responded softly, his cold demeanor softening momentarily.
“Whether I become a walking corpse, a waste, a paralytic, or something less than human, as long as I have another moment with Audrey, I am willing to endure it.”
The knowledge that Audrey was carrying his children again and had chosen to stay had shifted Cornell’s priorities dramatically. For the first time, his will to live ignited fiercely. He yearned to be present when she delivered.
His absence when Janey was brought to this world was a regret that gnawed at him relentlessly. This time, he was determined to persevere until the children’s arrival, to witness his children’s first breaths…
Cornell pocketed the glass vial just as noises erupted from the doorway.
“Help…” Katie’s attempt to scream was cut short as Cornell stuffed a gag into her mouth. “Mmmph…”
The guard who had left for the bathroom re-entered, immediately struck by the chaotic scene. “Where is the man?” he barked, noticing Katie’s bloodied appearance.
Cap?tulo 962:
“Mmmph… Mmmph…” Desperate and struggling for breath, Katie frantically tried to signal to the unaware guard that her mouth was gagged.
Finally noticing, the guard quickly removed the gag and asked urgently, “Where is the man?”
“He’s…” Before Katie could complete her warning, a sharp “bang” resounded.
Cornell had already raised his makeshift crutch and struck the guard on the back of the neck, rendering the latter unconscious before he could react.
Enraged and gritting her teeth, Katie cursed, “Idiot, completely foolish!”
Cornell ignored her. With precision, he used his hand like a blade, striking the unconscious guard on the neck once more, a pressure point technique that ensured the guard would not awaken for three hours.
Then, grasping his makeshift crutch for support, Cornell hobbled on his severely damaged left knee, moving with evident difficulty. He dragged the unconscious guard to the side.
Sweat dotted his forehead, and he panted heavily, the strain evident on his face.
Tasks that were once trivial now posed a significant challenge. His left knee was completely shattered. Moving meant dragging his injured leg along, exacerbating the injury. Yet, he had no other option.
His initial surrender was strategic, prompted by his discovery that the service staff in the North Tower had not been evacuated. To avoid provoking Lorenzo, a madman likely to detonate explosives indiscriminately and harm innocents, Cornell had chosen not to resist.
With the death of Lorenzo’s beloved wife within Ardlens’ borders, it was inevitable that Lorenzo would come and wreak havoc.
Cornell had deliberately drawn suspicion to himself days earlier to set a trap for Lorenzo.
Indeed, Lorenzo had taken the bait. Yet, unexpectedly, he had managed to secure explosives, even in a country with stringent regulations like Ardlens, a testament to his formidable influence. Such a dangerous man needed to be stopped.
Though Audrey had signaled that she was safe, Cornell felt an urgent need to locate her, driven by a mix of concern and unresolved tension.
After preparing himself, Cornell tore another strip of cloth and used a plank to fashion a makeshift splint for his leg.
Katie was still shivering on the ground when suddenly, through the walkie-talkie, Lorenzo’s furious voice blared, “Keep an eye on Katie. I’m going back to cut her tongue out…”
Lorenzo ended the transmission abruptly, not waiting for a response.
Katie was stunned. What? Lorenzo hadn’t found Audrey. Where could Audrey have gone? She had personally ensured Audrey was securely locked up. Could Audrey have escaped?
Cornell was approaching with the initial intention of knocking Katie out and leaving her for the special forces to handle. However, he paused upon hearing Lorenzo’s chilling threat.
Katie’s face turned ghostly pale, like paper. She had heard enough rumors about Lorenzo’s madness, including the horrifying tale that he had killed his own mother.
In his secluded palace away from Ardlens, he was infamous for his elaborate torture methods, and whispers suggested he had even crafted lanterns from human skin.
When Lorenzo unleashed his madness, he was a law unto himself, indulging his darkest whims without restraint. His methods were cruel, intentionally designed to inflict excruciating pain.
Katie couldn’t bear the thought of staying, a fate too horrifying for her to even think about it. “Please, Cornell. I confess to everything. Just take me to the police. I’ll admit to all charges. Just don’t leave me here…” she pleaded, her voice desperate.