Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
I’m her father!”
The past sorrows and complaints washed over Audrey like a tidal wave, bringing heartache and torment throughout her body. Her eyes reddened, and she said emotionally, “Cornell, Janey is my daughter. I brought her into this world by myself. I’d do anything to prevent you from taking her away from me!”
Overwhelmed by emotion, Audrey started coughing uncontrollably, her body shaking and her chest hurting.
Cornell, worried, quickly stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms.
“I didn’t mean it that way. I didn’t mean to..
His heart ached uncontrollably, holding her shoulder, soothingly patting her back. “I haven’t intended to take Janey away from you.”
The warmth from Cornell’s broad palm and chest gradually eased Audrey’s cough.
Yet, their hug suddenly seemed out of place considering how things stood between them.
Audrey tried to pull away, but Cornell held her firmly.
“Audrey, let’s stop making things hard for each other, alright?”
Cornell tightened his hold on her, resting his chin on her head and breathing in her light, unique scent. Such a scent and embrace he longed for, how could he let go?
Gazing down at her delicate, lovely face, he murmured, almost like begging, “Let’s give it another try. Think of it as a chance for me to make things right, to make amends to you and our daughter, alright?”
Seeing her still expressionless, he added hesitantly, “Could you consider it for Janey’s sake? She needs me, right? Do you have the heart to see her ridiculed for not having a father?”
Cornell thought back to when Janey cried to him about being mocked as fatherless on the playground. Those words had hit him hard back then. It was then he decided to treat Janey as his own daughter, despite his lack of knowledge Janey was actually his biological daughter at that time.
Now, realizing Janey was indeed his own, those memories pained him even more. Janey was the precious girl he had failed to protect well.
She never deserved to be ridiculed. With a touch of coldness in his voice, Cornell said, “I can’t just stand by and do nothing while Janey gets mocked for this.”
Hearing this, Audrey smirked. Cornell was still the same as before.
Only now, he offered a sweet date before a slap. In the end, he wanted not just Janey, but her as well, trying to get both of them.
Audrey forcefully pushed Cornell away and looked up at him mockingly.
“Cornell, are you threatening me?”
His eyebrows knit together, Cornell caught her hand and said in a hoarse voice, “Audrey, you’ve got it all wrong.”
He stopped, his voice tight. “I’m begging you… Please think it over.
Give me a chance to leave our past sorrows behind, and let’s create a whole family for Janey.”
His voice was laden with deep emotion, humbly pleading.
However, the harm and suffering Cornell had incurred on Audrey couldn’t be undone, regardless of Cornell’s pleading. Audrey’s face stayed unyielding, his warm touch unable to melt her iciness.
Fixing a broken mirror was a tough job. Just like a shattered heart, always bearing cracks. The painful memories were vivid and sharp.
Each recollection brought Audrey fresh pain. How could she possibly reunite with him without any reservations?
Audrey gazed at Cornell, expressionless. “Cornell, I have three questions for you. Answer them, and I might consider reuniting with you.”
Cornell froze, hope lighting up his heart. Yet, he tried not to get too excited, worried about losing this delicate moment.
With controlled eagerness, he responded, “Go ahead.”
Audrey’s questions were direct. “When my grandmother passed away, where were you? When Tessa abused me and made me lose our first child, where were you? When I was fighting for my life in the car crash, where were you?”
These questions hit Cornell hard, leaving him breathless, his face turning as white as a sheet. He tried to speak, but it was as if a blade was lodged in his throat, making even a breath feel agonizing, let alone forming words.
Audrey gave him a look, her lips curling into a bitter, sorrowful smile. “You told me you felt nothing for Cecilia, just gratitude, but can you see the real, deep hurt your actions caused me? You’re asking me to forget all those bad memories, Cornell.”
Tears streamed down Audrey’s pretty face, her eyes brimming with pain, each word heavy. “How can I possibly forget?”
Cornell trembled, agony swirling in his gaze. All that pain, all that grief… Whether unintentional or misunderstood, they were all caused by him. He couldn’t deny that, remorse overwhelming him.
With a voice choked as if by a blade, Cornell said weakly, “I’m sorry…” He knew how empty and ridiculous these words must sound.
Yet, he had nothing more to offer.
Audrey’s smile was painful yet mocking, lightly saying, “Cornell, do you still think we can start over now?”
“Audrey…” Cornell’s voice was raspy as he called her name, his plea caught in his throat.
What Cornell feared the most had happened. Despite regaining her memory, Audrey was not inclined to forgive him. He couldn’t overlook the pain and suffering he had caused to her. His unintentional mistakes didn’t absolve him. He knew all too well he had no right to seek her forgiveness. His only path was to aim for redemption.
At Cornell’s pale face, Audrey’s eyes gleamed at some thoughts, and a bitter smile appeared on her lips as she said, “Cornell, you must have wished I’d forget our past forever.”
Cornell’s expression darkened at her words. Indeed, he had hoped Audrey would forget the past sorrows. He didn’t want her to hold onto those painful memories. He wished for her happiness every day, just like she had been before regaining her memory.
Cornell was determined to make it up to Audrey, to ensure no harm came her way again. They wanted to begin anew with her, and he would provide the best for her and Janey. He would cherish them for all his days.
He acknowledged his selfishness. Yet, he simply wanted to spend the rest of his life with the woman he desired and their daughter. The possibility that Audrey might recall everything one day had crossed his mind, knowing she might hate him by then. Yet, that didn’t deter him from envisioning a future with her.
Cornell had no intention of lying to Audrey. With a voice full of sincerity, he confessed, “I did hope you could forget those painful memories and find happiness forever…”
Audrey didn’t feel like listening to him anymore. It was hard to tell what was true and what wasn’t. “Too bad your wishful thinking has failed. I won’t be as naive as I was five years ago, to be your puppet, to come and go at your beck and call.”
Audrey gave a faint smile. “Because now, you… You just don’t matter to me anymore!”
Cornell’s face turned ashen, his heart as if split in two. He felt like a deflating balloon, ready to give in. He didn’t matter to her now. She had given up on him.
Numbly, Cornell managed to say, “Please, Audrey, don’t do this to me. Don’t leave me, I’m begging you…”
Unfazed, Audrey continued to utter ruthless words, “Cornell, I had given up on you ages ago. Remember, we’ve divorced. Our marriage ended five years ago, and the remarriage was based on your deceit.
In my heart, it never took effect.”
Audrey added, “If you even think about taking Janey away, I’ll disappear with her. You’ll never see us again.”
Cornell’s features trembled, his eyes misting over. He rasped, “Audrey, what do I have to do for you to not hate me so much? Just say it, and I’ll do anything…”
Audrey cut him off, her voice icy and unyielding, “Maybe if you just vanished from my life, I might feel less hatred toward you.”
“No…” His eyes turned bloodshot with pain. “You know that can’t happen. I can’t bear to live without you. Audrey, have you really forgotten all the good times we shared? Our time together wasn’t only about the bad moments…”
“Can those moments make up for the hurt?” Audrey shot back. “Cornell, ever since Cecilia came back, I haven’t had a single day of happiness.
I’ve completely forgotten any good times we might have had…”
Stung by her frosty demeanor, Cornell wanted to embrace Audrey, but she pushed him away firmly.
Despite her rejection, he desperately grabbed her shoulders, his voice cracking as he begged, “We’re not over. Audrey, please give me another chance. I’ll fix everything, I’ll make you happy…”
Audrey observed the turmoil on his handsome face and felt none of the satisfaction she had anticipated. Five years had gone by. His regret and self-reproach now were too late to mend the scars she bore.
During the five past years, the love from her family and friends gradually healed Audrey. Thinking of Nicole and Elin, her heart filled with gratitude. Her old friends had supported her throughout, and she, along with Janey, had received endless love from her brother and father.
Everything was just right. One couldn’t linger on past pain and needed to look ahead. Cornell wouldn’t longer shape her future, nor would she naively sink into sorrow again.
Audrey gave him a look, her smile tinged with a hint of irony.
“Cornell, I once adored you, so much that I lost who I was, became numb, and fooled myself. But now, all I want is to keep my distance from you.”
The determination replaced the pain in her eyes as she said gently, “I don’t love you anymore.”
Audrey recalled the agony from their shared past, yet she also remembered Cornell’s act of bravery when he shielded her from the harm of a knife. She added flatly, “You’ve hurt me mentally, but you’ve also shielded me from getting physically hurt. From here on out, we’re even. let’s move on.”
“No, I don’t want to!” Cornell suddenly tightened his grip on her wrist, his eyes shimmering with tears against the night sky. “Audrey, I don’t want us to move on. You had promised me that as long as I could earn Erick’s approval, you’d be with me.”
Audrey felt a surge of frustration about this promise before she regained her memory. Her tone was flat, devoid of emotion. “Then let’s break up!”
“I won’t accept that!” Cornell’s gaze hardened with resolve. “I’m not breaking up with you.”
“Cornell Clement!” Audrey’s voice was sharp, her words icy. “I won’t be with you. Just have some self-respect. Stop being hysterical, okay?”
Her words stung. Never in this life had Cornell been met with these sarcastic remarks or this flat rejection. Despite being at the center of admiration all his life, he was now faced with undisguised disdain.
His heart was tightly twisted, hurting unbearably.
Cornell felt he was on the verge of breaking down. He bit his lip bitterly, forcing back the tears in his eyes, choking out, “I won’t fight with you over Janey’s custody, but…”
Cornell stopped, knowing that saying it was for Audrey would push her further away. “For Janey’s sake, I’m not giving up…”
Then, he turned around slowly, his steps heavy as he walked away.
Audrey watched his retreating figure and felt an unexpected pang in her heart. A strange emotion bubbled up. She clenched her fists, forcing herself to suppress it. She consoled herself that she would move on over time.