Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
You’re smart, Mr. Clement. You can guess,” Erick taunted.
Cornell’s face drained of color at Erick’s words, but he couldn’t deny they were on point.
Erick continued, “There’s something else you should know. Audrey has a child. Kabir, her psychologist, and she had a baby. They were close, but Kabir died in an accident right before their wedding, and Audrey gave birth alone.”
Frankly, Erick’s aim was for Cornell to realize that Audrey had not just fallen in love with another man but had also become the mother of the man’s child after leaving Cornell. She found happiness in a life without Cornell.
Cornell’s face lost its color and he quivered as he asked, “Why are you telling me this?”
“You’d find out sooner or later, so I thought it’s better to be upfront, Mr. Clement.” Erick had planned everything meticulously, but he still worried Cornell might get suspicious about Janey’s biological father. It seemed wiser to clear up any doubts now. If not, Cornell could end up probing into Janey’s background. They couldn’t risk losing Janey, neither Erick nor Audrey.
After a brief pause, Cornell inhaled deeply and vowed, “I’ll stop forcing her into things, but I’m not letting her leave.”
Erick was about to add more when the medical procedure ended. He approached the doctor, asking anxiously, “How’s Audrey now?”
“Miss Foster is still recovering from her car crash. The shock made her brain shut down, The more she passes out, the worse it gets.”
Erick felt a wave of despair hearing this. Noticing Audrey awake, he rushed to her. But he stopped Cornell from following him. “Not right now.” After saying that, Erick shut the door.
Erick seemed to be discussing something with Audrey, who occasionally peeked at Cornell.
Cornell was clueless about what Erick might have told Audrey regarding their shared history, causing his heart to race. It was as if he were perched on a bench, anxiously awaiting a verdict.
Finally, Erick and Audrey’s conversation came to an end.
“Audrey has something she wants you to hear,” Erick said to Cornell, opening the door.
When Cornell entered the room, it was just him and Audrey.
His gaze fixed on Audrey’s striking features, Cornell felt a whirlwind of emotions. He longed to embrace her.
Conversely, Audrey seemed puzzled by the look in Cornell’s eyes. She examined him from head to toe before asking, “Are we really married?”
To Cornell, Audrey’s simple question sounded incredibly sweet, warming his heart.
“Yes, we are. I’m your husband,” Cornell replied, smiling.
Audrey struggled to believe it. Erick’s recent revelations were overwhelming, making it hard for her to accept this unfamiliar man as her husband. Yet, she felt certain about one thing.
Audrey looked at him earnestly. “So, when are you free?”
Cornell’s eyes sparkled at her question, and he answered softly, “I’m always free for you.”
He was ready to drop even a hundred-billion-dollar deal for her, without a second thought.
Standing up with a grin, Audrey said, “Great. let’s go.”
Cornell felt a mix of confusion and happiness, not really understanding what she intended to do. He knew Audrey had been pampered by the Foster family and probably lived carefree for the last five years.
Cornell wanted to reach for her hand, but stopped himself, asking softly, “Where to?”
Audrey, thinking Cornell was playing dumb with her, bluntly said, “To the court, obviously.”
“Why? What for?” Cornell was stunned, his expression freezing.
“To file for a divorce.” Audrey added, “Erick filled me in on our history. You know my situation now. To me, you’re just a stranger, so it’s time we end this marriage.”
Cornell’s face grew dark as he heard her words. “But why? You’re still my wife, no matter our past.”
“I have no memories of you. It just feels weird, and I don’t want to stay married,” Audrey replied firmly, causing Cornell to become unsettled.
Cornell frowned, pleading, “I won’t push you to accept me now. let’s just spend some time together. I promise to treat you well, okay?”
“Sorry, I can’t,” Audrey said, shaking her head. “Marriage should be about love. I feel nothing for you. I probably didn’t like you much before. Otherwise, how could I completely forget you?”
Audrey remembered Kabir, always gentle and indulging her. But Cornell only brought a sense of unfamiliarity. Plus, from what Erick told her about their shared past, Cornell had betrayed her. He neglected her kidnapping for his mistress, leading to her miscarriage. Such a terrible person!
Audrey was resolute. No words from Cornell could sway her from steering away from repeating her past mistakes.
Audrey’s words were like a dagger to Cornell’s heart, deepening his agony.
Overwhelmed with pain, Cornell struggled to breathe. He gripped her wrist tightly, his voice cold. “Don’t even think about it.”
Audrey couldn’t help but find his words amusing, leading her to remind him. “It’s been five years since we’ve been apart, Mr. Clement.
Why do you think I can’t file for divorce? If you don’t agree, I’ll see you in court.”
The situation had changed. The Foster family was wealthy and could afford a top lawyer for Audrey. This meant Cornell no longer had the advantage.
“Mr. Clement, you have three days to consider this. After that, my lawyer will contact you.” With those words, Audrey left the room, disregarding the look of pain on Cornell’s attractive face.
No matter how good-looking Cornell was, Audrey couldn’t overlook his betrayal. Cornell and his mistress seemed like a match made in hell.
Cornell snapped out of his daze and tried to follow Audrey, but Erick blocked his path. “Mr. Clement, you promised not to force Audrey into anything anymore.”
Cornell, visibly angry, pushed Erick away. “Do you think the Foster family can defeat me?”
“Perhaps the Foster family don’t match the Clement family’s influence in Ardlens… But for Audrey, the Foster family will stand by her through thick and thin,” Erick stated firmly, word by word.
Cornell’s gaze lingered on Audrey’s receding figure.
At that moment, a profound void seemed to stretch between them.
The stark realization hit Cornell that nothing in life was immutable.
Despite their past intimacy, there loomed a future where they might become strangers.
Right then, only the side profile of Audrey’s face remained visible to Cornell, a countenance he had yearned for day and night, now gradually slipping away from him. Eventually, her figure vanished entirely from his view.
Cornell lowered his gaze, slipped his hand into the pocket of his trousers, and clenched his fist slightly. He silently vowed to himself that he would win her back, sooner or later.
The next day, Audrey returned from the studio and found Janey joyfully engrossed in play with Anabella.
Anabella wore a delighted expression, grinning from ear to ear. It was evident that she genuinely liked Janey.
Janey rushed over with a doll in her arms as Audrey approached.
“Mommy, look at this! These are the new dolls Anabella got for me.
There are twelve in total.”
These new models of Barbie dolls wouldn’t hit the market for another six months, a testament to Anabella’s effort to please Janey.
With Janey in her arms, Audrey greeted Anabella graciously, “That’s so kind of you, Anabella.”
Anabella stood up and handed Audrey an envelope with a bank card inside. She said gently, “Audrey, you look stunning. I could hardly recognize you.”
Anabella liked Janey more with each passing glance, recognizing that Audrey’s genes contributed to Janey’s exceptional appearance.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Audrey put Janey down and attempted to return the envelope. “You don’t have to do this, Anabella.”
Anabella insisted, pushing the envelope back toward Audrey. “Don’t be silly. This is just a gift for Janey. It’s not a big deal.”
“That’s very generous of you, Anabella. Both Janey and I are truly flattered.”
Janey chimed in sweetly, “I like the Barbie dolls very much, but I don’t need the money, Anabella. Moreover, I have a pot full of pocket money at home.”
As Audrey handed back the envelope, a lazy and impatient voice echoed from behind them. “Just take it. What’s the point of pushing it back and forth like that?”
Turning around, Audrey saw Darryl, known for his slovenly appearance, lounging on the sofa, eyeing her arrogantly.
In reality, Anabella, being of mixed race, had passed on her exceptional genes to Darryl. Unfortunately, coupled with his unruly behavior, it resulted in Darryl coming across as rather unpleasant.
He hadn’t intended to provoke Audrey.
However, Audrey disliked Darryl immensely. Audrey narrowed her eyes and decisively declined the envelope.
“Shut up!” Darryl’s mother, Anabella, scolded him harshly, embarrassed by his disrespectful words.
The formidable Foster family held a more prominent standing than the Cullen family, and Darryl’s tone implied condescension toward Audrey and Janey.
Anabella shot an annoyed look at Darryl. If they weren’t in Audrey’s presence, Anabella might have considered giving this troublemaker a piece of her mind.
Touching the tip of his nose, Darryl gazed at Audrey, sensing an air of deliberate haughtiness surrounding her.
Sending the bank card was Darryl’s way of seeking Audrey’s forgiveness for his impoliteness from yesterday. However, Audrey didn’t accept it, leaving Darryl to wonder if she was still harboring anger toward him.
Darryl’s willingness to make amends stemmed more from Audrey’s striking looks than genuine remorse.
“Audrey, I’m here to apologize on Darryl’s behalf. Please don’t be angry with Darryl,” Anabella pleaded. She heard that Audrey had left without having dinner the previous night, much to her regret.