Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Observing the pensive look on Cornell’s face, Erick sensed his reluctance to discuss the matter. His eyes abruptly turned cold. “Mr. Clement, it’s perfectly fine if you’d rather not delve into it. It’s late now. Please head back.”
“No, I can talk about it.” Cornell snapped back to reality. “When I was a child, I fell into a frozen lake. Cecilia was the one who rescued me.”
“A frozen lake?” Erick asked, furrowing his brow. “Are you talking about the lake in the manor of the Duke of Moss?”
Cornell’s gaze darkened. “How do you know about that?”
“I…” Erick was about to disclose something but stopped midsentence.
He was about to set off to Swynborough. He would like to verify the details with the concerned parties first before he revealed anything to Cornell.
“Well, I’ve been there before,” Erick finally said. “I have to leave now.”
Looking at Cornell’s pale face, he added, “Take care of yourself.”
Cornell smiled and said, “Thank you for your concern.”
A subtle twitch disrupted Erick’s handsome features, realizing his subconscious concern for Cornell. To Erick, Regarding Cornell as a part of his family and showing concern for Cornell was an untimely notion.
“I’m not concerned about you,” Erick retorted icily.
With that, he strolled into the villa without waiting for Cornell’s reply.
After playing with Janey for a while, Erick took his leave.
Once Janey drifted into a slumber, Audrey indulged in a milk bath.
Then, emerging from the bath, she draped herself in a towel. When she was passing a mirror, she halted.
Gazing at her reflection, she noticed a hickey on her slender neck.
In an instant, her face went as red as a ripe apple. When had Cornell done this? She hadn’t even noticed it until now!
After pondering over it for a moment, Audrey concluded Cornell must have done it in his ward.
Audrey attempted to rub the hickey away, but the more she rubbed, the redder it became. Vexed, she finally pulled her hand away.
Fortunately, her collared shirt from before had covered the hickey, concealing it from Erick’s notice.
Audrey seethed with frustration. She vowed not to let Cornell kiss her so wildly next time.
Next time… Wait. Why there was a next time? Patting her slightly flushed face, Audrey scolded herself inwardly. What on earth was she envisioning her future with Cornell?
When Audrey slipped into a night robe, ready to go to bed, her phone rang.
It was Cornell. Despite the late hour, he hadn’t turned in for the night yet.
With a furrowed brow, Audrey answered. Cornell’s magnetic voice resonated through the phone. “Are you asleep?”
“How would I answer the phone if I was asleep?” Audrey retorted in an irritable tone.
“Are you upset?” Cornell asked.
“Well, I just found out what you did.”
“What?” Cornell questioned, perplexed. “What’s going on?”
“You…” Audrey paused, blushing. “How can you leave a hickey on me?”
“Oh…” Cornell drawled, clearly teasing her. “Don’t you like it?
Your skin is delicate. I lost a bit of control when kissing you.
That’s the cause of the hickey. By the way, don’t you find the hickey add to your allure?”
“You are so annoying!” Audrey huffed.
“Well, I had heeded your words. I hugged you and then kissed you. I also wanted to…”
“Stop!” Audrey interrupted, turning redder. “Don’t you have anything else to say?”
“I just want to hear your voice.” His voice, low and intimate, felt as if he was whispering into her ear.
Suddenly, Audrey felt like her heart had been tossed into a serene lake like a pebble, creating ripples.
“You’re such a bore,” she declared. It had barely been two hours since they had last seen each other, yet his words made it sound like an eternity had passed.
“Audrey…” Cornell softly called out.
For some reason, he sounded particularly sincere at this moment, touching Audrey’s heart.
“This is the first day of our relationship,” Cornell continued.
Audrey scoffed, trying to hide her embarrassment. “I never said I wanted to date you!”
Cornell countered, “But I want to date you.”
Unable to come up with a sharp retort, Audrey finally said, “You’re so cheeky!”
“I have to be. How else can I win your heart?”
Suppressing a smile, Audrey responded, “That’s a long way to go.”
“I will exercise patience and manage to win your heart. As long as no other men stick around you.” Cornell’s last sentence had a dangerous edge to it.
Unfazed, Audrey snorted. “I can’t promise that. Plus, there’s nothing you can do with it.”
In a low voice, Cornell challenged, “You had kissed and touched me.
Now you’re being this cold to me?”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Anyway, you had kissed me, so you should take the responsibility,”
Cornell said seriously.
“How could you be this cheeky?” Audrey was speechless. She had never taken the initiative to kiss or touch him.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up,” As Audrey spoke, she strolled to the window, fanning herself to calm down.
“Your night robe is stunning,” Cornell suddenly remarked.
“What?”
“This shade of pale blue suits you perfectly,” Cornell added.
Audrey immediately looked out of the window. Beyond the villa’s fence, the sleek black luxury car remained parked. “You haven’t left?”
“Not yet.” Observing Audrey’s slender silhouette on the balcony, Cornell smiled. “I wanted to see you for a bit longer.”
Audrey’s temperature, which had just cooled, soared again due to Cornell’s straightforward words. She felt an unexpected rush of sweetness. “Are you crazy? What are you looking at? Just go back!”
Grinning, Cornell replied, “You know, the hickey complements the night robe perfectly. You’re truly stunning.”
Audrey’s heart raced. She was about to draw the curtain.
“Don’t draw the curtain,” Cornell hastily said. “Let me appreciate you a little longer.”
Audrey paused for a moment and decided not to draw the curtain.
“I want to hug you,” Cornell said.
Audrey’s heartbeat quickened. She felt as if Cornell was uttering these words standing before her. “Tomorrow will be hectic for me. I need to go to bed early. You’d better go back to the hospital soon.
No fooling around.”
“Since you’re so concerned about my well-being, I’ll listen to you.”
“I…” Audrey was on the brink of a retort but refrained, fearing that Cornell would just take it as an opportunity to continue his flirtatious banter. Besides, he hadn’t recovered yet, and she didn’t want his condition to worsen by lingering here at this late hour.
“Anyway, it’s time for you to leave. Good night,” Audrey said.
“Good night…” Even as Cornell bid her good night, his gaze lingered on her silhouette. It wasn’t until the curtain was drawn that he finally shifted his attention.
“Let’s head back,” he told the driver.
The next day.
Audrey rose early, heading to the company for final preparations.