Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Audrey was over the moon, eager to show her grandmother so the latter wouldn’t have to pinch pennies any longer. She believed she could earn another scholarship next year.
However, that glimmer of hope seemed to be swept away with the current. What was easily attainable for some was a significant obstacle for Audrey.
Without a second thought, Audrey rolled up her trousers, removed her cotton jacket, and stepped into the river to get her school bag back.
The frigid water sent shivers down the spine of the 13-year-old.
The school bag, weighed down, had settled at the river’s bottom.
Audrey had to search blindly, bit by bit, to locate it.
The river, deeper than a meter, came up to Audrey’s neck. She used a stick to help find her school bag. With great effort, she managed to retrieve it. Her backpack was finally in her hands again.
Ignoring the wet sweater and her bare feet, she unzipped the bag, only to find the practice books soaked and beyond salvage.
The ink had smeared, and the pages were stuck together, beyond help even after drying.
Audrey stood there, motionless, her gaze fixed on the damaged practice books. She felt silent for what seemed like forever.
To her, they were more than just some practice books. It symbolized her teacher’s expectations for her, a chance to change her future, and a golden opportunity provided by fate for those who worked hard.
Audrey, wise beyond her years, quietly bore her struggles, mindful of her grandmother’s sacrifices. She was always cheerful, never Letting her smile fade.
Yet, at that moment, she found it impossible to stop her tears, even as she tried to keep her head up. She had put in so much effort…
She couldn’t grasp why those who work the hardest often face the most challenges.
Cornell listened quietly, not interrupting. Despite Audrey’s understated tone, he could feel how heartbroken and desperate she felt then. His heart ached, overwhelmed with sympathy.
Audrey’s eyes reddened as she continued, “Not long after, the practice books were shattered due to the weight of the water. I was there, squatting beside the street trying to pick up the pieces, when a car suddenly stopped close by. The driver got out and started shouting at me. I don’t hold it against him. It was my mistake. He was scared he might have hit me.”
“Stop it…” Cornell felt his heart shatter. At her words, some fragments of his memories were recollected.
That day, darkness consumed Cornell’s life.
Alexis and Luciana got into their worst fight yet. They hurled insults like “mistress,” “old beast,” and “nagging wife” at each other, words the young Cornell wouldn’t expect from such a refined couple.
Later, when Alexis hit Luciana in a huff, Cornell jumped in, taking the blow meant for her.
Fed up with the tense atmosphere at home, Cornell got into the car and told the driver to just head south, no destination in mind.
They wandered aimlessly until they nearly ran into Audrey, who was picking up her practice books from the ground.
The driver barely managed to stop in time, failing to see Audrey until the last second. Stepping out, the driver scolded Audrey sternly.
Tears streaming down her face, Audrey apologized and then stood on the roadside, clutching her ripped practice books and wearing a drenched cotton jacket.
It was then Cornell noticed Audrey was without shoes, in freezing weather, her pants soaked through.
The driver, feeling guilty for scolding Audrey, thought she Looked too pitiful. His worry was that if he didn’t scare her a bit, she could end up in danger with other drivers.
Feeling the stare from Cornell in the car, Audrey quickly slipped on her shoes, gave a small bow to the driver, and got ready to walk away.
Cornell offered Audrey a ride, but she declined, “No, I’m soaking wet. I’ll mess up your car.”
Cornell chuckled, looking at her mud-splattered, kitten-Like face, and replied, “You look pretty clean to me.”
Audrey glanced down once more.
Cornell inquired, “Think I’m up to no good?”
Audrey shook her head. It was her first encounter with such a good-looking and neat young man, stirring a strangely familiar feeling within her. Her gut feeling assured her he was trustworthy.
Just then, Audrey’s grandmother’s neighbor came by and offered her a ride home.
Audrey quickly expressed her gratitude to Cornell and hopped into the neighbor’s tricycle.
Cornell noticed the damaged practice books, reminded of Audrey’s tears. For the first time, he felt a sudden urge to follow Audrey, a girl he had just met.
After watching Audrey enter a house, Cornell sent his driver to the local bookstore.
When Cornell got back to Audrey’s house, he didn’t want to bother her, so he quietly left the practice books by her door. To him, it was just a small gesture, not knowing it would be a lifeline for someone losing hope.
Audrey, with a smile, said, “You now remembered? But upon thinking back, I was just like a kitten covered in mud back then. I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t. The morning I found the practice books, my first thought was of you. You once said I was very clean. Honestly, that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me. I even remembered the start of your car’s license plate. I heard it was from Ardlens, a place I thought I could never reach. After that, I pushed myself to study harder and eventually got into Ardlens.”
Coming from a small town, I found it hard to adjust to the fast pace of the big city, and I nearly gave up.
“Then, one day, I saw your interview on a big LED screen downtown.”
“The magazine was calling you a ‘genius youth.’ Right then, I wasn’t just happy to see you. I felt even smaller, wondering if I could ever match up. But at the end of the interview, you looked straight into the camera and said, ‘Don’t let setbacks scare you off from chasing your dreams. They’re there to strengthen you, not to defeat you.'”
Those words were like a light on a dark winter’s night, guiding Audrey way. They motivated her to keep going. Thanks to that motivation, she became the better version of herself. Her challenging experiences molded her, making her someone who contributed positively to society. Cornell’s kindness had transformed her into a warm-hearted person.
As Cornell listened, tears welled up in his eyes. To be honest, he had never really visited Tenassie before. He only made a quick stop there, not even aware it was called Tenassie. It was a brief half—hour stop in his life, but it deeply affected Audrey.
At that moment, he felt an overwhelming sadness. Audrey had overcome so much to be with him, yet he had questioned her time and time again due to misunderstandings.
Cornell drew Audrey close, his voice breaking as he cried. “Audrey, I’m so sorry. You’ve endured so much…”
Now, he understood why Erick was so doting toward Audrey. Even though Audrey was the youngest daughter of the Foster family and was expected to be spoiled, she faced many hardships after getting lost as a child. How could he not feel the need to spoil Audrey?
“Cornell, you were my savior back then, but afterward…” Audrey’s voice broke, struggling to speak. “You deeply hurt me. I did everything I could to be with you, but when Cecilia came back, all my efforts seemed pointless overnight.”
Hearing her words, Cornell’s heart felt like it was being torn apart.
He couldn’t forgive himself.
Audrey didn’t just point out the faults in others. She was honest about her own mistakes as well. For she and Cornell to be together, they needed to put everything on the table and really clear the air.
“With Henley’s meddling, I misjudged. Back in college, he was always there for me and other juniors, so I never doubted his intentions,”
Audrey admitted. “I get how his meddling hurt you, too. The real problem between us was we never actually sat down to talk things through.”
Henley’s meddling really shook up their already shaky relationship, tying Cornell in knots he couldn’t loosen. Now, Audrey made it clear.
She had eyes only for him, always had, and nobody else. Anything with Henley was all a misunderstanding. He despised himself for not asking and clearing things up, instead choosing to arrogantly keep her close.
Audrey now wanted to get their relationship back on track. Since they both cared for each other so deeply, why not give it another shot?
Especially since Janey loved Cornell.
One didn’t get many chances in life to waste time. Audrey couldn’t bear the thought of going through separation again. She said with all her heart, “Let’s make a promise to keep no secrets from now on. If we get things wrong, let’s talk it out right away. No giving each other the cold shoulder or trying to make each other jealous, okay?”
Cornell felt as if his heart was being fiercely tugged. Audrey was just too kind. She wasn’t only ready to let go of the past but also eager to work on their future together. That was just how genuine she was. When she fell in love, she was all in. He muttered to himself, “What had I done to receive such kindness from her?”
Noticing Cornell quiet, Audrey started to worry a bit. But before she could overthink, Cornell leaned in and gave her a _ simple, affectionate kiss on the forehead, without any hint of desire.
He told her solemnly, “Audrey, if I ever let you down again, may I never find peace.”
Audrey’s heart raced, and she quickly covered Cornell’s mouth, forcefully saying, “Stop saying such silly things!”
Cornell caught her wrist and softly kissed the back of her hand, filled with overwhelming happiness. “We’ll be with Janey together, forever not apart.”
Audrey couldn’t hold her tears back anymore. Their journey seemed to live by the old saying that consistent thoughts found a way to connect.
After countless challenges, separations, and reunions, they found their way back to each other. But now, things felt different. Their bond had grown stronger, their trust deeper.
Cornell’s recovery was quick. Within less than two weeks, he was discharged from the hospital to continue recovering at home. Yet, he wasn’t allowed to work more than six hours a day at the Clement Group, as per his doctor’s orders, but Cornell often stayed longer.
Cornell couldn’t help it. He now faced a new threat from Henley’s ambitious schemes.
Henley had a knack for business, achieving impressive success in international trade within his first few weeks at the Clement Group, boosting its performance significantly.
This success won over the previously doubtful shareholders. After all, Henley’s illegitimacy didn’t matter to them. What mattered was his ability to turn a profit.
Silently, the Clement Group’s dynamics began to shift, and someone deliberately leaked information about Cornell’s injury, causing his support to plummet from fifty-five to thirty-five percent.
Meanwhile, Henley secured thirty percent of the shareholders’ support, coupled with the strong backing from Alexis.
Henley’s rise to prominence at the Clement Group was unparalleled, and he relished it.
Moreover, Cornell had publicly challenged Alexis on several occasions.
This sparked rumors that Alexis was considering replacing Cornell with Henley, suggesting that Cornell’s prestigious heritage might not guarantee his position.
Audrey knew about these shifts but felt powerless to intervene, offering only her silent concern. She was especially anxious about Cornell’s health and whether he could handle the pressure.
Today, having fewer tasks at the studio, Audrey decided to visit the Clement Group with some homemade nutritious soup.
Upon her arrival, Matteo informed her that Cornell was in a meeting, so Audrey decided to wait in his office.