Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Audrey’s heartbeat quickened, stirred by feelings she couldn’t fully understand. Amid her racing heartbeat, a sweet feeling welled up from deep within her heart. “I should get back to my work,” she said, her voice tinged with a slight rush.
Noticing her cheeks tinged with red, Cornell’s expression softened.
“Take care not to work too hard.”
“Watch out for your arm…” Audrey’s concern for Cornell flowed out without her even realizing it. She paused, taken aback Cornell was equally surprised with Audrey’s concern. Then, looking deeply into the camera, he said, “Now I wish to kiss you even more.”
Audrey found herself at a loss for words.
Her face flushed a deeper red. “Can’t your thoughts be laid somewhere else?”
“I can’t,” Cornell said, his stare intense, making the moment feel profound. “I miss you dearly.”
Audrey’s eyes fluttered, her cheeks heating up. She was certain that if he were here, he might indeed “consume” her.
“I…I need to hang up now.” Audrey quickly ended the call. She pondered over their growing closeness, questioning if it was becoming too much.
Just then, a receptionist from the studio came over. “Miss Foster, Mr. Matteo Jenkins is here to see you.”
“Please, let him in,” Audrey said.
Matteo walked in, placing a wooden food box on her table. “Miss Foster, Mr. Clement has sent you this soup. Enjoy.”
After conveying his message, Matteo departed.
Audrey eyed the food container and recognized it came from South River Restaurant. That was a notable distance away. So, was Cornell ordering soup for her during their conversation?
Audrey lifted the lid off the container, and the aroma spread throughout the room. It contained the restaurant’s renowned Four-Cup Soup.
Tasting it, she felt a comforting warmth spreading through her, sweetening her mood even more.
She then took out her phone to look up recipes, acknowledging her rusty cooking skills. It was time to choose a dish to prepare.
The following day.
Audrey headed out straight from her office after wrapping up a morning full of tasks. She’d been keeping an eye out for the past three days, making sure she wasn’t being followed.
Just to play it safe, Audrey had her family’s driver pretend to take her home, creating the illusion that she was inside the car.
In the meantime, she took the wheel herself, opting for a less conspicuous underground route.
She relied on the navigation for half of the journey.
Suddenly, the car emitted a loud “bang”!
All of a sudden, the tire of Audrey’s car blew out. Right away, the front of the car began sliding.
Audrey was startled. She suddenly thought of what Cornell had told her during her driver’s tests and tried to stay calm.
Hitting the brakes hard could cause the car to overturn.
Audrey held the steering wheel firmly and gently pressed the brake.
The car was brought to a stop in less than three minutes.
Audrey was still rattled after the car stopped. Her car was equipped with run-flat tires, which were not supposed to burst unexpectedly.
Audrey took a deep breath and stepped out to check the car.
The street she had just driven on had a manhole cover sticking out, with sharp nails all around it. It seemed like a trap had been set on purpose. Who would do something like that?
Fortunately, Audrey was relatively calm. A less experienced driver might have ended up rolling the car.
Just then, a lady in her sixties approached Audrey, exclaiming, “Oh dear, what happened? Did your tire burst?”
Audrey just nodded.
The lady quickly suggested, “You’re quite lucky! My son has been a mechanic for years. How about I get him to change your tire?”
Audrey found the lady’s offer too enthusiastic and politely refused, “No, thanks.”
Audrey planned to call for a tow truck and possibly get a replacement vehicle. But time was tight.
The lady lingered close by, chattering away about swapping the tire for Audrey.
Audrey firmly declined and moved away to phone for help.
When she finished the call and looked back, her car was already lifted on a jack. A dirty man in his thirties was replacing the tire.
Audrey came over with a serious expression, asking, “What are you doing?”
The lady responded with a smile, “No need to worry. We’re just helping you with the tire change.”
Audrey’s expression turned to a scowl. “I didn’t give you permission to do that.”
The lady laughed Lightly. “You say you didn’t ask, but we couldn’t have proceeded without your approval, right?”
Audrey was at a loss for words. She had explicitly declined their help.
Nevertheless, the man finished the job swiftly.
The lady quickly said, “There you go. It’s all set. Your car is lovely, and we’ve fitted a top-notch tire, typically priced over ten thousand. But for you, just nine thousand eight hundred.”
Audrey glanced at the tire, clearly cheap and probably not even worth a hundred. And they were asking for nine thousand eight hundred! This was obviously a scam! She said, “I don’t need it. Please take it off.”
The lady’s attitude shifted immediately, and she said arrogantly, “We’ve already put it on. If we remove it now, it’ll be considered used. Then who would buy it?”
Audrey stood her ground. “I never requested this service. You went ahead without my consent.”
The lady was relentless, replying, “Wow, you look great behind the wheel of this fancy car. Is it really worth bargaining over this small amount? Fine! Let me make it easier for you. Eight thousand eight hundred. How does that sound?”
The lady had her scheme all figured out. She acquired the cheap tires for merely eighty dollars. It was shoddy and wouldn’t last. She and her son roamed from place to place, avoiding any complains once the tire wore out.
Persisting, the lady said, “Come on, be sensible. The job’s done.
Even if the police get involved, you’ll end up paying. Why add to the hassle? Look at my son! He did all this work for you.”
While talking, the lady nudged her son closer to Audrey. Her son, tall and muscular, stood over Audrey like a tower.
The lady subtly showed a QR code, whispering, “My son’s a simple fellow. Please don’t upset him. You seem a busy person. Just pay and move on.”
It seemed like helpful words, but it was all about threats and intimidation.
Audrey asked coolly, “What if I choose not to pay?”
“Not to pay?” The lady’s friendly facade disappeared, her voice becoming stern, “Well, if you don’t pay, I can’t be responsible for what my simple son might do…”
The tall man moved closer as instructed, his presence overwhelmingly clear. Saliva escaping his mouth, he muttered, “Pretty woman…” He extended his hand, trying to grope Audrey.
Audrey quickly dodged, evading his reach. In the commotion, her phone fell and the man picked it up immediately.
The lady acted swiftly, jumping into Audrey’s car and grabbing the keys. She said boldly, “If you don’t pay, you’re not going anywhere today.”
The man repeated his mumbling, “Pretty woman…”
Audrey approached the lady, attempting to get her car keys back.
But the lady reacted instantly, positioning herself in front of Audrey’s vehicle, crying out and rolling on the ground. “She’s hitting me! She’s hitting me! She’s going to kill me…”
Audrey was dumbfounded. Their performance was flawless, executed with ease. It dawned on Audrey that these two were professional scammers.
The surroundings were remote, without any shops or houses around, let alone security cameras. It made sense why they chose this location.
Audrey calmly suggested, “I don’t have cash with me, and my card isn’t working. Could I call someone to bring the money over to you?”
The lady looked doubtful. “You’re not playing a trick on me, right?”
“No, of course not. I don’t own this fancy car. It was rented. I like to seem richer than I am, and I wouldn’t want anyone to find out I burst its tire. You arrived just in time,” Audrey assured the lady, with a show of earnestness.
The lady then said, “Ah, my leg is injured from that fall. Merely paying for the tire isn’t enough!”
“How much are you asking for?” Audrey asked.
The lady’s expression changed slightly. “I’d need something Like twenty to thirty thousand for my recovery!”
And that was on top of the eight thousand eight hundred for that cheap tire. What a bold request!
Audrey’s mind racked, knowing scammers were naturally distrustful.
“I really can’t afford that much,” Audrey responded with sincerity.