Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
When she saw the dirty man come in, she promptly descended from her perch and poured water for the man with practiced eagerness.
Caught off guard by her sudden shift in demeanor, the dirty man with a limp mocked, “So, the dead fish learns to turn at last.”
While the sudden hospitality was unexpected, the dirty man was thirsty, so he accepted the cup eagerly and guzzled the water.
Then, he placed the cup down and remarked, “If you can prove to me that you can contribute, then I will rethink my decision to throw you out… Ah… Ah….”
The taunting words devolved into labored gasps as the dirty man’s face contorted into an expression of agony. It felt like the fires of hell were in his throat, razing everything in its path until his vocal chords were nothing more than charred lumps.
Eyes bulging with horror and disbelief, he raised a trembling, dirt-streaked finger at Cecilia. “Ah… Ah…”
“Clap!” Without even a hint of remorse, Cecilia raised her hand and struck the dirty man down with every ounce of strength she could muster. She spat disdainfully on the curled form of the man and hissed. “Old fool, hurry to hell!”
The dirty man’s cries tapered off a few seconds later, his wide unseeing eyes frozen in a state of shock even in death.
Fury coursed through Cecilia as she glared down at the dirty man. Now, she saw not a dirty man that had taken advantage of her, but her enemy who had ruined her life. She went and got a knife and mercilessly gouged his eyes out.
When she finally calmed down and could think rationally again, she dragged the man’s body to the old refrigerator and stuffed it inside.
It took considerable effort, but she managed to get it done.
Then, she surveyed her surroundings. From high-rise villas to filthy shacks. 0h, how the mighty had fallen!
Cecilia wrongly assumed Audrey was the reason for her downfall. Audrey should never have returned alive! Without Audrey, Cornell wouldn’t have been this merciless toward her. How wonderful life would have been if Audrey died when she fell into the river five years ago!
Cecilia’s hatred seeped into every bone in her body and corroded her mind. There was only one thought in her mind and it was the one thing that had kept her going even after all the horrors she had endured. Audrey had to pay!
At the Kingbel Club.
The door of the private room was pushed open by a waiter and an impeccably dressed man walked in. He came to an abrupt halt, a sneer curling his lips when he saw the handsome man sitting across from him. “It’s ironic, Mr. Clement, that you’re supposed to be sick yet here you are, strolling around as if nothing is wrong. My sister is so trusting and gullible that she stayed home today to cook liver porridge for you.”
Warmth surged up in Cornell’s heart when he heard that Audrey was at home cooking for him.
He didn’t try to hide his joy and as such, Erick could see the pleased smile on his face.
Erick found Cornell’s smile to be particularly aggravating and he scoffed. “It seems that Mr. Clement is still quite the master at manipulating people.
Despite his pallor, Cornell’s lips curved downwards as he looked up at Erick. In a sincere voice, he told Erick, “Elder brother, you misunderstand me. I would never play with Audrey’s feelings; I truly love her.”
Erick felt a pulsing headache the second he heard Cornell call him elder brother in that casual tone.
This man was shameless to the extreme.
Erick was yet to make him pay for not protecting Audrey properly, yet Cornell still had the audacity to sit in front of him and call him elder brother!
Erick’s expression turned icy. “Don’t call me elder brother. I’m afraid I can’t afford such a title. It might shorten my life.”
Cornell’s obsidian eyes were downcast as he endured Erick’s scorn with remarkable patience. Right now, Cornell appeared quite humble, which was a far cry from the image he usually projected.
But Erick was not swayed by Cornell’s little performance. When he spoke next, his voice was cold and stern. “I advise you to give up on this idea as soon as possible. As long as I’m alive, you will never take advantage of my sister again!”
He got to his feet and dusted his trousers.
“I believe I’ve made myself clear. We have nothing else to discuss.
Oh, and don’t bother waiting for the liver porridge. I’ve already ordered Reagan not to leave the house.”
Erick was known for his stubbornness, a trait Cornell had quickly recognized during their first interaction.
Thus, he waited for Erick to vent his anger before telling him why he had requested for this meeting.
“Elder brother, I know you’ve returned to secure the domestic shipping project.”
Erick paused mid-step. Scowling, he turned back to Cornell and demanded, “What do you mean? Are you investigating me?”
“Relax, I’m on your side, elder brother. I would never harm you.”
Erick was getting quite frustrated. The more Cornell called him elder brother, the more familiar his tone became.
However, his purpose for returning was a secret to all, yet, Cornell had been able to discover it.
Erick’s eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of wariness rising within him.
Cornell’s lips curved. “I can help you secure the project.”
“You?”
Erick scoffed, his tone full of disbelief and derision.
“As far as I’m aware, the Clement family has no history in shipping.
There is only one likely candidate for the project and that is the Boyd family. And from what I recall, the Boyd and the Clement families aren’t on good terms.”
Cornell arched an eyebrow. “While it’s well-known that the Boyd and Clement families have a long-standing feud, there is a juicy scandal involving the Boyd family that may pique your interest.”
The words were a missile, and they hit their target unerringly. Erick stopped scowling, interest flashing across his eyes before he remembered to control his expression.
If the Boyd family were out of the picture, then victory was most assuredly his.
The thought had barely taken root in his mind when his elation deflated. He knew what Cornell wanted from him in exchange for his help.
But trading his sister’s happiness for his own gain was something he would never contemplate.
Erick drew himself to his full height and stated in a cold, unyielding voice, “I know what you want. You want me to let you have your way with my sister, but that will never happen.”
In reply, Cornell pushed a document folder across the coffee table towards Erick.
“Elder brother, perhaps you should review this before making a decision.”
Curious, Erick warily accepted the folder and pulled out the encrypted documents inside. His eyes went wide with shock and disbelief when he saw the contents.
This document was Cornell’s will!
Erick flipped through the pages quickly. But the more he read, the more bemused he became.
By the time Erick got to the last page, he struggled to keep his surprise in check. “You’re leaving eighty percent of your entire fortune to Audrey?”
“Correct. The will has been notarized. Rest assured. There will be no changes,” Cornell affirmed.
There was no force in the world that could have stopped Erick from gaping. Eighty percent of Cornell’s fortune for Audrey, and the remaining twenty for Cornell’s mother.
Erick had an idea as to why Cornell had allocated his fortune in this manner. It wasn’t because Cornell favored Audrey over his mother.
Cornell’s mother had already owned six percent of the Clement Group’s shares. With this additional twenty percent of Cornell’s fortune, her share would surpass Audrey’s. A revelation startling enough on its own. Willingness to give a fortune worth billions to Audrey so readily…
Cornell gave Erick a moment to absorb the news before explaining calmly, “Erick, my intention in showing you this is not to gain immediate approval from you for me to marry Audrey. I just want a chance to make things right and make up for my past mistakes. I’ve been so preoccupied with work that I neglected Audrey and caused her undue suffering, even to the point where she lost our child.
I understand where you’re coming from, but I still want to beg for a chance to make amends. Could you please not intervene in my getting along with Audrey for some time? Even if Audrey doesn’t choose me in the end, my will remains unchanged. Audrey is the one I desired to spend with for the rest of my life,” Cornell’s tone was somber, his expression earnest.
Cornell was never one to openly express his emotions, but once he was sure of his feelings, he stood firm and resolute. And for Audrey’s sake, he was willing to explore every possibility.
When Cornell was making his impassioned speech, Erick had slid Cornell’s will away, only to be pushed back his way by Cornell, who remarked, “Please keep this will for me.”
Erick’s lips pursed, a trace of bewilderment on his refined face.
“You just want me to allow you two to see each other? No other strings attached?”
Surprise was an inadequate word to describe what Erick was feeling.
Cornell just entrusted Erick with the notarized will bearing Cornell’s private seal. Cornell was essentially offering up his weakness to Erick on a silver platter.
If this document fell into the hands of Cornell’s enemy and got exposure, it could destabilize the Clement Group’s stock market presence. Moreover, Cornell would likely be forced to step down from his position as CEO. Cornell, a shrewd businessman, undoubtedly knew the risks of his doings.
For the first time, Erick realized the terrifying extent of Cornell’s folly when blinded by love. Erick was simply an observer, having never been in love. In Erick’s opinion, his career ambitions took precedence over love without exception.
“Actually, I have one condition,” Cornell answered grimly.
Erick smirked. He knew it! There was no way Cornell was truly that selfless. Erick braced himself, waiting for Cornell to reveal his true intentions.
However, Cornell simply said, “Please do not tell Audrey about this will. I don’t want to add to her emotional burden.”
For the umpteenth time in the last five minutes, Erik was rendered speechless. This was truly baffling. Cornell turned out to be way more selfless than he had ever imagined. Was he truly seeing Cornell?
Just to be certain, Erick asked, “And you don’t mind that Janey isn’t your child?”
This was a rather crucial point. A child was the ultimate litmus test of a man’s sincerity. Few men could wholeheartedly accept a child that was not biologically theirs.
Thinking of Janey brought a gentle smile to Cornell’s face. “I’m very fond of Janey, but I’ll also respect her choices. Whether or not she likes me, I’ll treat her as my own daughter.”
Erick scoffed. “Nice words are easy to say, but acting on them is another matter.”