Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Since Anabella was an elder, Audrey didn’t make things difficult for her. She graciously replied, “It’s okay, Anabella.”
Just as Anabella was about to speak, Darryl interjected, “Now that the misunderstanding is cleared, let’s try to get along with each other.”
Audrey frowned, clearly perplexed by Darryl’s words. “I don’t think that’s necessary. We’re not cut from the same cloth,” she retorted.
“How dare you!” This marked the first time Darryl had extended an olive branch to a woman, but Audrey bluntly rejected him.
Anabella found herself irked by Darryl’s interference. Although the rumors portrayed Darryl as a playboy, as his mother, Anabella knew he had never brought a woman home or taken such an initiative in her presence. This time, however, Anabella sensed a difference. When Darryl returned home the previous night, he neither confirmed nor denied having any romantic interest in Audrey.
“You think I’m not worthy of you? How dare you!” Upon reflection, Darryl hesitated with his words. Audrey could sense that he intended to remind her of her widowhood.
Adding fuel to the fire, Darryl had suggested that no other man would be interested in Audrey as long as she had Janey with her.
Truth be told, Audrey was fully capable of raising Janey on her own.
Had it not been for Janey’s envy of children from intact families, Audrey wouldn’t have considered finding Janey a stepfather.
The Cullen family and the Foster family had a _ long-standing relationship. To avoid any strain on their relationship, Audrey chose not to disclose the details of the previous night. Instead, she simply said that Darryl and she were not a good match. Now, there was no need for her to cover up for him. She believed him to be nothing more than a callous jerk.
Audrey retrieved her phone and played a recorded conversation for Anabella. As the content unfolded, Anabella’s expression darkened.
She offered sincere apologies to Audrey and Janey before grabbing Darryl by the ear and dragging him out of the villa.
Although Darryl had earned a playboy reputation, he dared not challenge his mother’s wrath. He endured Anabella’s scolding until they sat together in the car.
This day marked a humiliating experience for Darryl, leaving him seething with resentment. Through gritted teeth, he vowed, “Just wait and see, Audrey Foster!”
In the afternoon, Audrey reached out to Erick over the phone. “Hey Erick, are you free today? I need your help to pick up Elin from the airport.”
Surprised, Erick blurted out, “Why is she here?”
Audrey replied, slightly irritated, “What’s the matter with you? She is here to visit Annis.”
Elin was Annis’ daughter, around the same age as Audrey. They used to play together when they were little.
Although they lost touch after Audrey went missing, fate brought them back together five years ago.
Upon reuniting, Elin and Audrey instantly hit it off.
Audrey realized she hadn’t filled Erick in on the plan and added, “Oh, by the way, I have decided to make Elin the design director of my studio. So, she will be staying here for a while. Janey loves her.
Isn’t that fantastic?”
Audrey expressed her excitement, but Erick remained unresponsive.
After a prolonged silence, he tersely replied with a “yes.”
Audrey suddenly remembered something and said vigilantly, “Keep an eye on Dayton, Erick. Just in case he bothers Elin again in Ardlens.
After all, it was your idea to introduce Dayton to Elin. He not only cheated on her but also mistreated her. You remember when he nearly killed her, right?”
“Don’t worry. I won’t let it happen again,” Erick assured.
“Good. I’m counting on you to deal with that jerk.”
As planned, Erick picked up the car key and headed to the airport.
Upon reaching the airport, Erick saw a familiar slender figure from a distance.
Elin was wearing beige trousers and a simple white and black T-shirt, lacking any noticeable flair.
As Erick walked toward her, memories of Elin’s once passionate and innocent nature, especially when she adorned herself in red dresses, flashed through his mind.
His eyes couldn’t help but narrow when he realized that ever since she got married to Dayton, she rarely wore dresses, even during the summer months.
As Elin caught sight of Erick’s cold and elegantly handsome face, she was taken aback. The last thing she expected was for Audrey to arrange for Erick to pick her up.
Stubbing out his cigarette, Erick greeted, “Glad to see you, Elin.”
Nervously clutching her luggage, Elin responded, “Nice to see you too, Erick.”
The two exchanged greetings with stoic expressions.
Following the brief interaction, Erick impatiently adjusted his tie before assisting Elin with her suitcase, stowing it in the trunk.
Opening the passenger door, he gestured for her to take the seat.
“I actually prefer sitting in the back seat,” Elin said.
With the passenger seat door open, Erick rested his hand on the door frame. He fixed his eyes on Elin, maintaining a stoic silence but wearing a somber expression.
Casting a quick look at Erick, Elin quietly took her place in the passenger seat. She always seemed to yield to him without protest.
Once inside the car, they went all the way in complete silence, not uttering a single word to each other.
Elin’s gaze was fixed intently on the car’s hood. Years of suffering at the hands of her former partner taught her to stay grounded in reality. She also understood that a man like Erick, who was far beyond her reach, should not be part of her life. Erick, in the driver’s seat, came from a distinguished family, in stark contrast to her, who felt like nothing more than a failure.
Elin’s self-esteem had plummeted further following her disastrous marriage, making her feel even lesser in Erick’s presence.
Suddenly, Elin felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Every encounter with Erick seemed to fill Elin with a mix of nervousness and embarrassment.
As they halted at a red light, Erick reached into the car’s cooler and offered Elin a warm drink.
“Are you feeling okay?” Erick asked, noticing her discomfort.
“Thank you for your concern, Dr. Foster. I’m fine,” Elin replied formally and accepted the can.
Her voice carried a tone of detachment.
“Don’t call me like that. Right now, I’m just a guest lecturer since I’m focusing on the company’s affairs,” Erick corrected her.
“Understood, Mr. Foster,” Elin responded, using a different formal title.
This only seemed to irritate Erick further.
“Elin, are you deliberately trying to annoy me?” Erick asked sharply, fixing his gaze intently on her.
Elin appeared taken aback by Erick’s words. She lowered her gaze, looking gentle and submissive. “Of course not, Mr. Foster,” she assured him.
Despite her denial, Erick was convinced she was acting deliberately.
Erick remembered a similar situation when he had introduced Dayton to Elin. She hadn’t objected then and had indeed started dating Dayton.
Back then, Dayton lured Erick to the scene and asked if Erick would object to his marrying Elin.
Erick gave a neutral reply and Elin quickly accepted Dayton’s proposal. They were married within days.
Erick had felt deeply upset at that time, but he felt helpless to change anything. Reflecting on this, a wave of anger surged within him.
In truth, when Dayton sought Erick’s opinion, Erick responded, “I have no objection, but ultimately, it’s Elin’s decision.”
Regrettably, neither Dayton nor Elin didn’t seem to take his statement to heart.
“Call me whatever you like,” Erick said dismissively.
With those words, Erick restarted the car, and now drove at a noticeably faster pace.
Having eaten little that day, Elin’s face grew pale from motion sickness. However, she clenched her teeth and bore it silently.
When they reached their destination, Erick got out of the car and slammed the door behind him. He didn’t, however, forget to take Elin’s suitcase out of the trunk.
Watching Erick from behind, Elin felt a wave of confusion as she observed his tall figure. Did Erick want her to address him as she did in the past?
Contemplating this, Elin helplessly shook her head. She was no longer that naive girl she once was. How could she, a nanny’s daughter, address Erick, the young master, in such a familiar way? Moreover, as a divorced woman, she felt unworthy of someone like Erick.
In the villa, the Foster family had hotpot for dinner, and the air was lively as they gathered together in the dining room.
Audrey insisted that Annis join them at the table, and Annis didn’t object.
Having spent years around Audrey, Annis had come to realize that Audrey remained as warm and enthusiastic as ever.
Elin also found a sense of comfort in Audrey’s presence. Audrey seemed to possess a unique charm. Elin’s feelings of inferiority vanished whenever she was around Audrey.
Thus, when Audrey invited her to join the studio, Elin agreed immediately. She was eager to adopt a more optimistic outlook and leave her past behind.
As the evening progressed and Audrey consumed some alcohol, her cheeks turned rosy. She held Elin’s arm and said, “I wish Nell was here with us. It’s been so long since the three of us were together.”
Gently wiping sweat from Audrey’s forehead with a handkerchief, Elin responded softly, “Didn’t Nell mention she’d be back next week?”
Audrey, visibly excited, replied, “I can’t wait to see her. I hope the three of us will always stick together, until the world’s end.”