Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Once everything was set, he sat back and quietly admired her peaceful expression.
Audrey slept soundly, her cheeks rosy from the cozy air, presenting a lovely sight.
Watching her with a smile, Stefan felt a soothing sense of peace wash over him, simply being in her presence. He suddenly grasped what family could mean. Though their situation was all for a show, at that moment, he genuinely wished they were an actual family.
Audrey continued to sleep soundly for over four hours, from dusk till the stars faded into night.
As she stretched out of habit, her hand reached down, only to encounter emptiness, which startled her awake. That was when she realized she was still inside the car.
“Are you awake?” Stefan, who had stayed awake beside her the entire time, asked.
Audrey was slightly disoriented. “Where am I?”
Amused by her charming confusion, Stefan gently answered, “You’re in the car.”
“I’ve been in the car all this time?” Audrey was a bit astonished.
“From when I came back until now?”
“Yes, you fell asleep,” Stefan explained.
“How long have I been asleep?” Audrey asked.
“Over four hours.”
Audrey was surprised! More than four hours? She had actually slept for that long…
“Stefan, why didn’t you wake me?” Audrey felt a bit embarrassed.
Stefan smiled. “Victor mentioned you have difficulty sleeping in unfamiliar places, but you seemed to sleep so soundly after our walk that I decided to let you rest longer.”
Audrey was moved by Stefan’s patience and kindness, realizing he had sat there for over four hours just to let her sleep comfortably. He was truly considerate.
She softly said, “Stefan, you don’t need to go to such lengths for me next time. I’m quite embarrassed by all this.”
Erick had always advised Audrey to treat Stefan as her brother.
Erick and Stefan were sworn brothers, and Stefan had been treating Audrey nicely.
However, Audrey didn’t want to just play along with the pretense and genuinely saw Stefan as an elder brother, often directing him as such.
Stefan smiled warmly. “I wasn’t being considerate. I actually owe you thank you.”
“Thank me? For what?” Audrey asked, looking at him curiously.
Stefan explained, “I’ve been buried in work lately, staying up late in my study and going to bed exhausted. But tonight, because you fell asleep, I noticed how beautifully round and bright the moon has become.”
Audrey turned her gaze toward the window, observing the stunning, jade-like full moon lighting up the quiet night. It truly was mesmerizing.
Stefan’s soothing voice continued, “Thank you for giving me the chance to appreciate such a splendid moon tonight.”
Stefan was always gentle, his words carrying both sophistication and charm.
Inspired by the radiant moonlight, Audrey’s mood improved. Lately, the worry over her mother’s whereabouts had left her restless, disrupting her sleep and causing her to toss and turn until nearly morning each night.
Audrey knew that staying up late was harmful, especially during pregnancy, but anxiety only made sleep more unreachable. The walk they had taken allowed her to sleep profoundly.
After leaving the car, they walked back to the villa.
Before heading upstairs, Stefan paused. “Audrey, right now your primary concern should be the baby. Leave the search for your mother to Erick and me. Don’t worry. You’re in good hands. Furthermore, if your mother knew you were Losing sleep over her, she would feel sad. The best gift you can give her is to take care of yourself.”
Stefan’s advice resonated deeply, and Audrey nodded. “I understand. I’ll try to manage my emotions better.”
Stefan offered a reassuring smile. “Tomorrow, once I finish work, let’s go for another walk, but this time, make sure you don’t fall asleep in the car. Get a proper night’s sleep on your bed.”
Audrey agreed. The walk seemed to have a beneficial effect, as she now felt an urge to take a bath and head straight to bed.
Audrey headed upstairs, took a bath, and climbed into bed.
Just as she was settling down to sleep, her phone began to ring.
Audrey glanced at her phone as it rang and saw Bryce’s name flash on the screen. Answering the call, she began, “Hello, Bryce…”
Before she could continue, Bryce interrupted with an anxious tone, “Audrey, where are you? It’s about Cornell…” His voice was disjointed and filled with desperation.
Audrey’s heart raced at the mention of “Cornell.” Cornell still hadn’t come back to Ardlens? “Stay calm and tell me what’s wrong with him,” she urged soothingly.
“He collapsed in the hotel, and I’ve called an ambulance, but they said it’ll take twenty minutes to arrive. I’m really scared…”
Audrey was shocked. How could Cornell just collapse suddenly?
“Which hotel are you at?” Audrey inquired.
Bryce responded, “At the Hilpton Yacht Hotel.”
Thinking for a while, Audrey realized it was just a few miles from her location. She was surprised to discover a seven-star hotel so close by during her last visit.
“It’s not far from me,” Audrey said, springing into action. “Stay calm and listen to my instructions for first aid. I’m coming over with Stefan right now.”
Quickly grabbing a jacket, Audrey continued to guide Bryce over the phone as she rushed to Stefan’s room downstairs.
Reaching downstairs, Audrey just hung up the phone. Her legs trembled as she approached the door of Stefan’s room.
Fortunately, she didn’t need to knock. Stefan, hearing the commotion, opened the door himself.
Noticing Audrey’s distressed state, Stefan’s usually calm demeanor shifted. “Audrey, what’s wrong?”
“Cornell… Cornell has collapsed. Stefan, can you call a doctor to save him?” Audrey stammered, her breath uneven.
Stefan immediately reassured her, “Don’t worry. I’m on it right now.”
Stefan then quickly dialed on his phone, speaking rapidly in the Aurora dialect. He then comforted her, “Relax. I’ve contacted the best doctor in Aurora.”
They hurried to hotel and arrived within five minutes, just in time to meet Stefan’s doctor.
They rushed to the suite upstairs, finding the door already wide open.
Audrey entered the room and immediately saw Cornell lying on the bed, his face alarmingly pale.
“Audrey, you’re here!” Bryce exclaimed, his eyes reddened as he approached her.
“How could this happen…” Audrey was overwhelmed with questions, unsure where to begin.
Bryce quickly filled her in. “When I returned, I smelled alcohol. It seems Cornell had been drinking, then slipped and fell in the bathroom, and that’s when he passed out.”
Audrey observed his pallor, a wave of anxiety washing over her.
Normally, a healthy man wouldn’t faint from just a fall. There must be some underlying condition that hadn’t been addressed properly.
This man…
The attending doctor quickly examined Cornell and administered a dose of specialized medication.
Almost miraculously, Cornell’s complexion began to look less deathly within moments.
As the ambulance pulled up, the attending doctor turned to Stefan and explained, “I’ve made a preliminary diagnosis. It appears there’s an infection in his knee implant, but we’ll need further tests at the hospital to confirm.”
At this, Audrey felt as if she was in the midst of a surreal story, her head spinning slightly from the revelation.
Thankfully, Stefan was there to support her.
The paramedics loaded Cornell onto the stretcher and hastened to the hospital.
Collecting herself, Audrey looked at Stefan and began, “Stefan, I…”
Before she could finish, Stefan cut in, “Let’s go together.”
Audrey nodded emphatically.
At the hospital, while waiting outside the examination room, Audrey’s thoughts wandered. She had assumed that after the wedding day, Cornell would have left. Yet, he had lingered in Aurora for over a week, staying at the hotel so close to the Clifford family’s manor.
Why was he still here?
Audrey struggled with her thoughts, reluctant to delve into the nature of their relationship. It felt almost as if Katie’s curse was manifesting once more. If not for Bryce’s timely intervention tonight, Cornell might have just been another forgotten casualty in some hotel room.
Seeing Audrey’s distressed expression, Stefan felt a twinge of pain in his heart. He gently said, “Audrey, I had told him the other day that I could ensure his safe departure, but he chose to stay.”
Audrey hesitated, her thoughts tangled. “He…”
As Audrey fell silent, Stefan continued, “There’s something else. Today, when we were at the park, I noticed a black SUV following us. I had it checked out. Mr. Clement was inside. It seems he might have misunderstood something and turned to alcohol to cope.”