Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Cornell stopped his impending punch and looked at them. A bitter smile suddenly appeared on his lips.
How absurd! He couldn’t believe Audrey and Henley had truly been together all along.
Furthermore, his investigations led him to believe that their relationship was a charade, a facade maintained for the benefit of Henley’s family.
Hence, he was unfazed by Audrey pretending to be Henley’s girlfriend, confident he would win her back one day.
However, everything had crumbled before him.
Audrey and Henley were indeed together.
This was Henley, the man adoring and pestering Audrey during their marriage.
The same guy who had jeopardized their marriage multiple times.
It could have been any guy, but definitely not Henley.
Cornell felt a mix of disgust and nausea.
He slowly lowered his fist. The desire to hit Henley had already disappeared. He just shot Audrey a disdainful look and said, word by word, “You make me sick.”
Audrey’s face went pale at his words.
With a cold glint in his eyes, Henley interjected, “Mr. Clement, please show some respect to my girlfriend.”
But Cornell brushed off Henley’s words like an irritating fly. A sardonic smile played on his lips as he looked at Audrey. He then turned around and left.
As Cornell’s figure retreated, Audrey felt a sensation akin to having her heart snagged by a fishhook.
It took Henley calling her twice to bring her back to the present.
Henley put a hand on her shoulder and asked, “Are you okay?”
Audrey sidestepped his touch awkwardly and muttered, “I’m fine.”
Henley withdrew his hand, but his eyes underwent an indescribable change as he looked at her.
Oblivious to the change in his eyes, Audrey turned around, retrieved Henley’s clothes from the dryer, and handed them to Henley.
Henley’s gaze darkened.
“What if he comes back later?”
It was a subtle proposal, suggesting he could spend the night since there were two bedrooms. Moreover, it would be a good opportunity to deepen their relationship.
Audrey shook her head definitively and said, “Don’t worry. He won’t come back.”
The look in Cornell’s eyes before he left conveyed finality. This time, they were really over, and Audrey was certain of it.
This was the outcome she had expected when she decided to involve Henley.
After getting dressed, Henley noticed Audrey seemed a bit worn out, so he didn’t say anything more. He simply handed her the book that needed translation.
This was a favor Henley was doing for Audrey. One of his foreign clients was into this novel and was willing to pay big bucks for a translated version. However, his language was rare, and finding a translator was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Thankfully, Henley recalled Audrey’s proficiency in this foreign language while they were in college.
Audrey had once been chosen by the school to act as a translator for a visiting delegation from that country during a cultural exchange.
What he didn’t realize back then was that Audrey had picked up this rare language not out of pure passion but because of the lucrative translation opportunities it presented.
Back then, her grandmother’s health was failing, and Audrey needed funds not only for her expenses but also for medical bills. Given the saturation of more common languages in the job market, she focused on mastering this lesser-known Language to ensure financial stability.
Audrey couldn’t help but feel grateful to Henley for this opportunity since she was preparing to study abroad and needed a lot of money.
In a soft tone, she said, “Henley, I’m sorry about today. You have done so much for me, and I shouldn’t take advantage of you for my benefit.”
Sensing her sincerity, Henley, initially hesitant to say anything, found himself impulsively asking, “Audrey, would you consider being my girlfriend?”
Audrey looked at him in surprise.
Wearing a faint smile, Henley clarified, “I mean, a real couple.”
Audrey was confused when she heard that. She couldn’t help but ask, “Don’t you already have someone in your heart?”
“I can’t be with her anymore. She is happy now, and I want to find my happiness too. Let’s give it a shot. What do you think?”
Henley was quite good at hiding things he wanted to hide.
A handsome man could easily win people over, especially when his eyes were clean and pure.
This sudden confession left Audrey stunned.
But she assumed Henley wasn’t too keen on her and didn’t take his proposition seriously.
She politely declined, “I’m sorry, Henley. I’m not looking to be in a relationship right now. You are amazing, and you deserve someone better.”
“Audrey, don’t underestimate yourself. You excel in every aspect in my eyes.”
Henley’s words were open and sincere. He sounded like he truly appreciated her.
Before Audrey could respond, Henley continued with a smile, “As you venture onto a broader stage in the future, there will be plenty of men pursuing you. Don’t turn me down immediately. Give me time to prove myself. Then, you can decide whether to accept me or not.”
Audrey’s cheeks flushed in response to his words. Rarely had someone confessed to her with such passion.
This was a completely new experience for Audrey, something she had never experienced with Cornell. After all, Cornell and she were from different social worlds.
Cornell was someone out of her league. Even though Cornell never looked down on her, Audrey always felt at a disadvantage in their relationship, as if she didn’t deserve him.
Back when she was younger, numerous suitors pursued her, but at that time, she prioritized her studies. To fend them off, she fabricated a story about having a boyfriend in a different city, leaving her admirers disappointed and backing off.
Marriage narrowed her social circle even further, limiting her interactions with men. At that time, romantic considerations were furthest from her mind.
Henley’s words sounded reasonable, and he didn’t press her to accept him immediately. The final decision was hers, leaving Audrey unsure of how to decline him.
Before she could say anything more, Henley gracefully left, not giving her the chance to voice her thoughts.
When he got into the car, the kindness on Henley’s face vanished instantly.
He noticed that every time he got close to Audrey, his head would ache, causing discomfort.
Furthermore, this unease had been escalating, unsettling his nerves and clouding his mind.
He was always adept at keeping his thoughts to himself. He would never reveal his true feelings, no matter how badly he wanted something.
He would first lay out a detailed plan and make his prey approach him voluntarily.
He relished the feeling of having complete control over everything.
However, this time, he felt no satisfaction. He only had an uncontrollable impulse.
He was anxious and frantic, yearning to possess Audrey as soon as possible.
Glancing back at the window, a smile played on Henley’s lips, but it held no warmth. Only an icy coldness and malice lingered.
Meanwhile, Audrey wasn’t deeply affected by Cornell’s hurtful words.
That night, she burned the midnight oil, immersing herself in translating the book.
Completing this assignment promised a hefty paycheck of three hundred thousand dollars.
This money could help her solve the current predicament.
After the divorce, Audrey understood that only through hard work could she gain the strength to choose and protect herself in times of trouble.
She couldn’t afford to be idle and endure abuse from others.
With this in mind, her desire to pursue further studies abroad intensified.
She knew that only by becoming strong enough could she prevent anyone from bullying her again.
In the dimly lit bar, Cornell nursed his drink, drowning in a sea of despair. Luis and Jarrod, his drinking companions for the evening, sat nearby.
Luis cleared his throat, looked at Cornell, and asked, “What’s wrong this time?”
Cornell brushed off the question. However, Luis smirked and continued, “Let me guess. Did Miss Benton get on your nerves again?”
Eloise’s relentless pursuit of Cornell was no secret.
It was mainly because Eloise was so high-profile that she expressed her love for Cornell on the social platform every single day.