Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Now, only three people were left in the room. Stefan had been quiet, just watching everything unfold. He had mistakenly thought Janey was Audrey’s daughter with another man. This was mainly because he wasn’t the type to gossip, nor had he asked Erick about it.
However, it now appeared that Janey was indeed Cornell’s daughter, and Cornell’s actions showed he was fully aware of the situation.
Upon seeing Stefan standing side by side with Audrey, Cornell was visibly irritated. He quickly yanked Audrey’s arm, pulling her forcefully to his side, causing her to lose her balance.
Stefan, concerned, reached out to steady Audrey.
This action caused Cornell’s expression to darken considerably, as he wished he could remove Stefan’s hand. “Leave us alone now!”
Stefan, remaining cool, replied, “Mr. Clement, Audrey hasn’t asked me to go.” He felt it was necessary to stay by Audrey’s side for her protection unless she herself asked him to leave.
His words only fueled Cornell’s anger further.
Cornell, ever possessive of Audrey, especially after learning Janey was his daughter, found the idea of another man close to Audrey unbearable. They were a family and should stay together, in his view.
Cornell snapped, “I’ve no interest in talking to you further. leave, now!”
Audrey, trying to pull her arm away, showed her frustration. “Cornell, calm down. What’s gotten into you? Stop this!”
Cornell gripped her wrist tightly, showing no signs of letting go.
His attitude shifted dramatically between interacting with Stefan and Janey.
Stefan noticed Audrey’s wrist turning red and voiced his concern with a touch of annoyance, “Mr. Clement, Audrey asked you to release her.
You can’t just hold her against her will.”
“Hold her against her will?” Cornell let out a scoff as if the remark was amusing, barely hiding a smirk. “It seems you haven’t realized who you’re interfering with. let me spell it out for you once again!”
With a glare that revealed his barely contained anger, Cornell declared each word, “She’s my woman, and if you try to get close to her again, don’t blame me for being rude.”
Cornell had been annoyed by Stefan’s always lurking around Audrey, claiming to be a brother or a friend, but clearly wanting more. It was exasperating!
Audrey stood there, dumbfounded. Since when had she been his? She couldn’t grasp why he was so furious, nor did she understand what gave him the right to cause such a commotion. Who did he think he was?
Stefan, unfazed by the threat, said calmly, “Mr. Clement, it looks like you’re the one who’s mixed up. You two are no longer together, and it’s Audrey’s right to choose her friends.”
He then said with a hint of firmness, breaking from his usually soft tone, “Please, let her be.”
Stefan noticed Cornell holding onto Audrey’s wrist, trying to drag her away.
Cornell, running low on patience and with a cold look in his eyes, swung his fist at Stefan out of nowhere.
Cornell’s punch was about to land on Stefan’s face when Audrey yelled, “Cornell, stop!”
This made Cornell halt immediately. He took a moment to rein in his emotions. After all, he didn’t come here to upset Audrey.
“Slap!” Out of the blue, a sharp slap echoed, striking Cornell’s face unexpectedly.
Audrey felt a sting in her palm, her eyes filled with surprise. She hadn’t thought Cornell would actually stop, nor did she expect to herself react so angrily.
Cornell’s face lost color, with the mark of five fingers vividly red on his cheek. His eyes filled with hurt and disbelief as he looked at Audrey. “You slapped me for him?”
The pain in his voice was clear, his face contorted with distress.
Audrey froze for a moment. Even though she had somewhat overreacted, she didn’t regret it. After all, Cornell was the first to act, and she hadn’t expected him to stop upon hearing her.
Pulling herself together, Audrey said with a cold tone, “Mr. Clement, you can’t just throw your weight around here. This is my ward, and I won’t let you bully anyone here.”
Cornell, faced with her cold and distant manner, was reminded of the scene where she and Stefan were cooing over Janey. Such a warm and happy scene. And yet, he was Janey’s real biological father. Moreover, Audrey and Erick had kept the truth of Janey’s paternity from him, treating him like a fool.
At that moment, Cornell’s expression was pale, his voice filled with bitterness. “Who’s bullying who, exactly?” As Janey’s biological father, didn’t he have the right to know about Janey’s existence?
Audrey appeared delicate, but her heart was tougher and more merciless than his. He probably seemed foolish in her eyes.
Audrey, noticing the deep pain in his expression, felt a strange bitterness in her heart. The aftermath of regaining her memory meant that all the forgotten love and hatred were sweeping back in. This man was no longer a stranger but someone she once shared a deep connection with, someone she once hoped to be with forever. Her thoughts were in complete disarray.
Audrey didn’t feel like seeing Cornell right now. His presence would only bring back all those painful memories. She remarked with a chill in her voice, “Unless there’s something important, I’d like you to leave.”
Cornell’s distinguished and attractive face lost all its color at her words. The anguish in his heart was intense. Audrey was driving him away. Plus, she had hit him for another man… How could she be so cold to him?
Cornell couldn’t hide his frustration anymore as he pointed at Stefan.
“He’s the one who should be leaving, not me!”
He went on, clearly in a foul mood, “I need to talk to you. Make him go away.”
Audrey found his demand unreasonable. “Why do I have to do what you say? You’re the one who should go.”
“Why?” Cornell, pushed to the brink of frustration, managed a bitter smile. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m your husband and Janey’s father.
Doesn’t that mean anything?”
Audrey was taken aback. How did he know about Janey’s paternity?
Audrey’s shocked expression only made Cornell’s pain worse. He laughed bitterly. Seeing her and Stefan standing side by side, he felt like he was a stranger.
With a snort, he exited Audrey’s ward without saying anything.
Audrey stood there, motionless. The realization that he became aware of Janey’s paternity, which was something she had just remembered, caught her off guard.
Her mind drew a blank, wanting to say something but feeling as if she were being suffocated. The only thing on her mind was whether he would confront her over Janey. No, she couldn’t allow that to happen!
Stefan noticed Audrey’s distress and gently squeezed her arm, looking at her with concern, “Audrey, are you alright?”
Coming back to her senses, Audrey looked at Stefan and quickly said, “Stefan, if Annis and Janey return, could you please make sure they get home safely?”
With those words, she dashed out of her ward.
Cornell stepped outside of Audrey’s ward, burning with anger. Not too far away, he spotted Janey and Annis heading back.
Upon learning Janey was his own daughter, Cornell was reluctant to leave her.
As if by instinct, Janey sprinted toward Cornell, joyfully shouting, “Daddy |”
Her voice was warm and soft, ringing with utter sincerity.
Cornell knelt down, gently studying Janey’s little face. Remembering the five years he’d missed, his heart throbbed with pain. His daughter had never laid eyes on him since the day she was born until recently…
“Daddy, why is your face like that?” Janey, with her tiny, plump hand, tenderly touched Cornell’s swollen cheek, her curiosity evident.
Janey’s gentle tone brought tears to Cornell’s eyes. Tears began to stream down his face, warm and quick. He had so much he wished to say, but all he could do was embrace Janey with all his might.
“Daddy, are you hurt?” Janey, resting her small chin on his shoulder and mimicking Audrey, gently patted his back, her voice filled with childish concern. “My patting will make it all better.”
Cornell’s throat choked up, his voice hoarse. “I’m not hurt, sweetheart. Daddy’s just overwhelmed with happiness seeing you.”
“Why haven’t you come to see me if you’re so happy?”
Tears welled up in his eyes again, and Cornell replied gently, “I was to blame before, but I promise, from this moment on, I’ll always be here for you and your mommy, alright?”
Janey, suddenly upset, raised her voice. “No!”
Janey pushed Cornell away, refusing to lean on him with a stubbornness. “You’re a bad daddy, a lying daddy! You said we’d go to the amusement park together last time, but then you chose to spend time with your fianc?e instead.”
Janey’s words were a bit jumbled, but her message was clear. Fuming, she continued, “If you have a wife already, why are you coming to see my mommy? You’re acting terribly!”
Cornell was caught off guard, surprised that Janey knew the term “terribly.” Her manner of speaking reminded him so much of Audrey.
A smile broke through his surprise. “Janey, you got it all wrong.
I’ve already cleared it up with your mommy. I’ve only ever been married to one person, and that’s your mommy.”
Janey’s eyes lit up. “For real?”
Cornell pulled her into a hug, standing up. “Absolutely. It’s the truth.”
“So, you’re my real daddy?”
“Yes, I’m your real daddy, now and always.” Cornell was a man of few words, yet as he looked into his daughter’s lovely face, he felt a surge of words he wanted to say.
The five years he missed out on being with Janey made him want to give Janey the world as a way to make up for lost time.
Cornell gently lowered his head to brush his forehead against Janey’s cheek and whispered, “Daddy will always pamper you and your mommy a lot.”
“Then, daddy, you have to keep your word. let’s lock it with a pinky promise, and no going back on it for a hundred years!”
The father and daughter happily confirmed their promise with a pinky shake.
Annis had been quiet the whole time. She could tell Janey really liked Cornell. Otherwise, Janey wouldn’t call him daddy. Janey had refused to call anyone else daddy.