Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
“Audrey, what’s wrong?” Luis asked, patting her back gently.
This tiny gesture unleashed the flood of tears Audrey had been holding back.
Audrey’s tears fell like scattered beans, spreading across the ground.
“Eh…” Watching Audrey break down; Luis felt a surge of helplessness.
He quickly reached for a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. “Don’t cry. Tell me what’s wrong,” he urged softly.
Despite her efforts, Audrey’s tears continued to flow uncontrollably.
Audrey accepted the handkerchief from Luis and hurriedly dabbed at her eyes. Then, she shrugged and held her breath, managing to choke back her tears, but her shoulders kept trembling.
Looking up, she asked, “Did you know that Cornell’s back?”
“I…” Luis scratched his head, pausing before admitting, “I knew.”
“When did he come back?” Audrey pressed.
Luis thought for a moment and then answered honestly, “He flew back yesterday morning.”
Upon hearing this, Audrey’s expression darkened. If Cornell had landed yesterday morning, he must have known Janey had disappeared and the mess her studio faced. Yet, he didn’t show up until today.
That was to say, Cornell’s sudden appearance today wasn’t for her and Janey, but because Luciana was in danger.
Audrey fell completely silent. Her small face, still wet with tears, looked fragile yet endearing. “Did something happen to Cornell?”
Now it was Luis’ turn to be silent. He hesitated, struggling to find the right words. Finally, he managed to say, “Let it go, Audrey.”
His advice hit Audrey unexpectedly hard. She was completely dazed and disoriented. She blurted out without thinking, “Why?”
Seeing Luis stay silent, she pressed, “Why? He risked his life for me. Why the sudden ask of me to let it go?”
Tears filled Audrey’s lovely eyes, and Luis couldn’t stand it. He felt like cursing in his heart. “Audrey, just listen to me. Try to forget him. Convince yourself he has gone.”
Being friends, Luis didn’t want Audrey to get hurt. After all, he had seen the resolve in Cornell’s eyes. For Audrey, the best defense was to keep her expectations low.
“He’s obviously here. How can I pretend he’s not?” Audrey’s attempt at a smile was more painful than her tears.
The elevator had reached the first floor, and Audrey didn’t want to impose on Luis any longer. “Mr. Stevens, I’m fine. You go ahead.”
With that, Audrey stepped out of the elevator.
Luis, concerned, peered out to check on her. It was a distressing sight as Audrey’s knees buckled, and she collapsed heavily to the floor. “Shit! Audrey!”
“Hey! Audrey!” Erick dashed forward, accidentally colliding with Luis, who was on his way out to offer support.
Erick was quicker and had already lifted Audrey into his arms. After giving Luis a nod, he hastily called for a doctor and hurried off.
Luis followed them and didn’t leave quietly until he was certain that Audrey had merely fainted from physical exhaustion.
When Luis returned upstairs, Luciana’s surgery was complete, and she had been moved to the ICU.
Cornell stood by the hallway window, puffing on a cigarette with a distant gaze in his eyes.
Luis approached and couldn’t resist scolding, “You know you shouldn’t smoke, right?”
Cornell acted as though he hadn’t heard, the smoke swirling from the cigarette in his hand.
Luis asked, “How’s your mother?”
Cornell put out the cigarette and replied evenly, “Seven days. If she can make it through, she’ll survive. But she might not wake up.”
Luis exhaled deeply and said, “I just saw Audrey. She fainted.”
Cornell’s expression remained unchanged as he stated flatly, “You don’t need to update me about her anymore.”
“Really? Do you not care about her anymore? What about your child?”
Luis looked at Cornell’s impassive, harsh face and asked, “Are you going to abandon the lovely girl as well?”
Cornell’s expression was blank, as if he hadn’t heard a word Luis had said, or perhaps he simply didn’t care about Janey.
Luis sighed softly, clearly defeated. “I can’t believe it. You must have some plan.”
Luis paused and then continued, “I’ll travel abroad tomorrow to study this toxin with Mae. Don’t overdo it. I promised I wouldn’t let you die. I’ll go to any lengths, even if it means digging three feet into the earth, to find the doctor who created this toxin and obtain the antidote. We will surely find a cure.”
Cornell’s face remained stoic as if the dire circumstances Luis described were of no concern to him.
Frustrated, Luis had no certainty of finding the cure despite his words. That was why he told Audrey to move on in the elevator. Being friends, he didn’t want either Audrey or Cornell to get hurt.
Even Luis thought this way, let alone the astute Cornell.
Luis took a cigarette from the stainless steel case in Cornell’s hand, lit it, and whispered, “Cornell, I know I’m not the one involved, and it’s not my place to judge. I understand you’re trying to do what you believe is best for Audrey. But have you ever considered whether it’s truly the best for her?”
With the cigarette hanging from his mouth, Luis continued without waiting for a reply, “When you were out cold in bed, I tried calling your name, but you wouldn’t stir. Then, I said to you that Audrey had left with another man, and you shot up awake immediately. See, even in a coma, your subconscious stays faithful to her. I think Audrey can handle the truth.”
Cornell put another cigarette in Luis’ mouth, his tone frosty. “Can you stop talking now?”
Caught off guard, Luis began to cough nonstop.
“Damn!” Luis blurted out, “Are you trying to kill me with nicotine so I’ll join you in death?”
It started as a simple joke, but then Luis abruptly fell silent.
Seeing Cornell’s indifferent face, he clicked his tongue and muttered, “I shouldn’t have said so!”
Luis was not good at keeping secrets. He held up two fingers and promised, “I’m catching an early flight tomorrow. You won’t see me for a while.”
Luis expected Cornell to respond with some sharp banter, as they often teased each other over the years.
But surprisingly, Cornell simply said in a clear, frosty tone, “Thank you.”
Luis was taken aback. The “thank you” from Cornell carried significant weight.
If it wasn’t for Luis, even if Cornell had escaped the explosion, he might not have made it. He had been resolute then, unsure if he would make it through the final moments.
Fortunately, Cornell managed the last thirty seconds well. The car had plunged into the sea, and due to the immense water pressure, one could detach from the seat without setting off the explosives.
Cornell seized the chance to escape through the damaged sunroof, swimming vigorously toward the open sea.
Yet, when the explosion happened, a huge wave knocked Cornell out, and later, a fishing boat rescued him, leading him to Luis.
By then, the toxin had already started affecting Cornell, and his extended exposure to the cold sea had severely weakened him. Luis made a critical decision to rush Cornell to an overseas laboratory for treatment.
“Don’t being polite with me, dude.” Luis clutched Cornell’s shoulder tightly and spoke with conviction. “Don’t be so harsh to her. You know who I’m referring to.”
After Luis departed, the corridor returned to silence.
Cornell stood under the cool moonlight, his posture straight, radiating a frosty aura.
Matteo suggested, “Mr. Clement, perhaps you should rest a bit?”
“You go grab some rest first,” Cornell responded in a low, hoarse voice.
Why would Matteo go if the CEO was still here?
“Find a good child psychologist to consult,” Cornell suddenly instructed.
Matteo paused, processed the request, and responded, “Okay, I’ll take care of it now.”
Cornell’s voice grew more intense, saying, “Don’t show up around them anymore. Just make the arrangement.”
Matteo nodded. He got that Cornell didn’t want Audrey to know he was behind the child psychologist arrangement for Janey.
Even though Cornell has appeared different since his return, as his personal assistant, Matteo could still tell that Cornell was the same person he had always been, albeit now more secretive and harder to read.
With all the problems inside and out, keeping things low-key was crucial.
When Audrey woke, she found Erick sitting by her bedside.”Audrey, you’re awake.” Erick looked concerned.
Audrey nodded slightly and began to sit up, but Erick quickly offered his support. “Take it easy,” he said softly.
Audrey looked up, puzzled by Erick’s carefulness. She wasn’t that delicate. “What’s wrong, Erick?” she asked, massaging her aching temples.
Erick looked hesitant and then met her gaze.
The concern in his expression made Audrey’s heart skip, and she asked anxiously, “Erick, what’s going on?”
“I need to tell you something, and you might want to brace yourself,”