Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Upon hearing this, Stefan caught a glimpse of an emotion on Cornell’s face that he hadn’t seen before. It was a mix of sadness and self- reproach, an expression unfamiliar to such a confident man.
Cornell simply didn’t seem to fit in. Or rather, he seemed completely out of place.
Like the guys one had read about in finance news or remember from the past, Cornell shouldn’t show vulnerability like this.
Stefan’s perception of Cornell shifted. Considering that Cornell was just trying to show his love for the children, it felt silly to dwell on his demeanor.
Plus, Cornell’s worries over Audrey’s children made Stefan feel a tad uneasy and anxious.
Audrey felt upset, and she signaled for Stefan to leave with her.
Stefan understood that her gesture was meant for Cornell to see, and after hesitating briefly, he took her hand. He gave Cornell a nod, and then they began to walk away.
Cornell appeared conflicted, his feelings mixed, and suddenly reached for Audrey’s hand.
Audrey quickly pulled her hand away, causing him to stagger backward, unsteady on his feet.
With a slight frown, Audrey composed herself and stated firmly, “Cornell, they are my children. Don’t even think about taking them, or I’ll disappear with the children somewhere you’ll never find us.”
Cornell stopped in his tracks. Audrey’s declaration clearly had a powerful effect. “I didn’t mean…” he began.
“You’d better not have,” Audrey interrupted him, not wanting to argue more, throwing his own warning back at him.
This confrontation hit Cornell deeply. He tightened his hand into a fist until his knuckles turned white.
Audrey didn’t Linger to observe his reaction. She simply felt a tightness in her chest. It was no mere suspicion. Cornell’s behavior suggested he might be preparing for a custody battle. She said he could visit their children, but she never said yes to him taking the children away.
Without saying another word, Audrey turned and left, with Stefan behind her. Glancing back, Stefan noticed Cornell kneeling to gather the fallen pieces of ice cream, carefully wrapping them in a handkerchief.
Even when a bodyguard offered assistance, Cornell declined. He stayed kneeling, gazing at the dropped ice cream, lost in his thoughts for quite a while.
Back in the car, Audrey was still upset, her expression stern. She appeared visibly distressed.
Stefan drove quietly, allowing her some space to settle her thoughts.
After some time, Audrey broke the silence, asking, “Stefan, do you think he wants to take away my children?”
Audrey voiced this concern with a look of fear. If Cornell intended to fight for custody later, she doubted her ability to prevail. The mere thought was excruciating.
“Why would you think that?” Stefan asked.
“I don’t know.” Audrey shook her head, her brow furrowed. “I just have this feeling he’s trying to take my children.”
She then declared, “I won’t let him take my children away.”
Stefan paused and then sighed. “Audrey, I think you might be misunderstanding the situation.”
Stefan could tell that Cornell cared more about Audrey than the children. Since the baby was already well-grown, if something went wrong, it would probably affect Audrey more than the children.
Audrey looked at Stefan, her eyes wide. “Misunderstanding what?”
“I don’t believe he’s trying to take the children away from you,”
Stefan clarified.
Yet, Audrey was not persuaded. “He’s been haunting me like a ghost these past days, always showing up, especially now that my due date is near. If not to take the children, what else could his intentions be?”
Stefan hesitated, wondering if it was wise to speak his mind.
But he feared that Audrey might get anxious again, so he whispered, “He Likely cares about you.”
“Care?” Audrey appeared confused. Wasn’t Cornell involved with someone else now? That seemed unfair to Eloise…
Audrey wasn’t trying to sympathize with Eloise. She felt strongly that a man in a relationship should maintain certain standards.
Whether casually dating or seriously involved, Cornell shouldn’t interfere in another woman’s life during that period.
Audrey remained silent, and so did Stefan.
As they exited the car, Stefan advised her, “Try not to overthink things.”
Once back in her room, Audrey mulled over Stefan’s words and Cornell’s behaviors. Cornell had always been so proud. After she had firmly rejected him, why would he still show concern for her? No matter how much she tried, she just couldn’t get it.
As darkness enveloped the evening, Audrey felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.
She didn’t think the pain would start this early, with two weeks left until her due date. Maybe it was what she did during the day, the ice cream, or something else…
But at this moment, she couldn’t dwell on the cause. Her stomach pain surged in waves, pushing her to act.
She reached for her phone on the bedside table, but it slipped and clattered to the floor.
Unable to locate it, Audrey slowly maneuvered toward the ground but couldn’t spot the phone under the bed.
It wasn’t practical for her to lie down and search beneath the bed, so after groping around unsuccessfully, she glanced up and realized she was only a few steps from the front door. She attempted to shout, “Is anyone there? Anyone?”
However, the intense contractions made it difficult to project her voice. Her neighbor, Victor, probably in a deep slumber at this hour, was unlikely to hear her faint calls.
For safety, Audrey crawled across the carpet. Fearful of standing and potentially falling, she remained low.
Upon reaching the door, she faced another challenge. She couldn’t stand up. She knocked on the door.
She continued knocking, unsure if anyone could hear her. Slowly, the pain drained her energy. After lifting her hand for one final knock, she let it drop weakly and closed her eyes.
In the dead of night, the heavy oak door of the Clifford family’s manor was rudely knocked.
After receiving a nod of approval from Erick, the servant cautiously opened the door.
Outside, the rain poured relentlessly, accompanied by harsh cold winds.
A figure cloaked in a black and gray wool overcoat limped into the foyer, leaning heavily on a black crutch, raindrops clinging to his form.
Erick, his gait hindered by an old injury, met the newcomer’s gaze with a furrowed brow. “What brings you here at this late hour, Cornell?”
“Is Audrey still awake?” Cornell’s voice was tense, betraying an underlying urgency.
Perplexed, Erick shook his head. “It’s well past bedtime. She’s likely retired for the night.”
Cornell’s eyes narrowed. “Alone?”
Erick hesitated, momentarily caught off guard as he realized the situation. “Of course not,” he assured, recovering quickly.
Even Hector was in the dark about Audrey’s sham marriage. Naturally, the fewer the people knew about it, the better. Keeping the circle tight was crucial to preventing any potential fallout for the sake of Audrey’s safety.
Cornell’s face darkened. “Would you mind checking on her?”
Erick’s brow furrowed in disbelief. “At this hour? She’s sound asleep. What could possibly be wrong?”
“I detected movement in her phone signal, but then it vanished.”
“What phone signal?” Erick’s eyes widened. “You’ve been monitoring her phone?” he exclaimed, a mix of shock and anger coloring his face.
Cornell was quick to defend himself. “I’m merely ensuring her safety, especially in her delicate condition. I’m only tracking her location, nothing more.”
“You had no right!” The admission only fueled Erick’s anger. He couldn’t believe it! How could Cornell invade Audrey’s privacy in such a manner? What ate him is that he didn’t even notice when Cornell did it.
Then, Erick came to realize that Cornell had been vigilant, even in the dead of night. Had Cornell been unable to sleep, consumed by worry for Audrey’s well-being?
“Remove it immediately!” Erick demanded.
Cornell hesitated. Obviously, he didn’t want to do it. “I promise I’ll do so when she’s away from Aurora. But for now, please, go check on her.”
With a determined nod, Erick set off toward Audrey’s room.
“I’ll return shortly. And when I return, that monitoring software should be gone,” Erick warned with a low growl. “And stay put. No one should disturb the young couple.”
Cornell stood frozen without saying a word.
Erick walked through the halls, calling out as he reached Reagan’s room. “Audrey? Audrey?”
The repeated calls only revealed his growing anxiety. “Audrey… Are you there?”
A shift in Cornell’s expression signaled his readiness to intervene.
However, the servant, mindful of Erick’s instructions, intercepted him. “Sir, please, hold on a moment.”
“Out of my way.” Cornell’s icy glare pierced the air, chilling the servant to the bone.
Cornell brushed past the servant, leaving the latter still recovering.
The servant scrambled to keep pace. “Sir, you can’t…”