Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Rendered speechless, Ruben could only cast his gaze downward.
Benson’s intuition was sharp, and both Klein and Klein, backed by their affluent families, had indeed been involved in questionable activities.
Cap?tulo 820:
Seeing no way out, Ruben dropped the business card dejectedly and followed Klein out.
Benson seethed with frustration, unable to contain himself any longer.
He stood abruptly, preparing to leave.
Across the room, Cornell mirrored Benson’s movement, approaching him steadily. “I have other urgent matters to attend to, so I must bid you farewell,” Cornell announced.
Benson’s demeanor shifted as he noticed the shabbily dressed Amilia trailing behind Cornell. His initial warmth dissipated like smoke.
“Very well,” he responded curtly.
Since Cornell had rebuffed Benson’s intention of matching up with Audrey moments earlier, Benson’s eagerness to engage with Cornell had noticeably waned.
Benson’s protective nature extended deeply to Audrey’s father, who was like a brother to him. And Audrey held a place as precious as any family member to him.
Despite connecting with Cornell at the art exhibition, Benson found it challenging to be cordial toward Cornell, who had been dismissive of Audrey. Ironically, Cornell appeared oblivious, seated, and making no move to leave until now, further irritating Benson.
Initially, Benson held Cornell in high regard for the latter’s charm and substantial wealth as well as capabilities, though whispers of Cornell’s divorce had reached him.
Now, Benson had his reservation about Cornell’s private life. Amilia, the one Cornell seemingly interested in, fell far short of Audrey’s caliber.
Exiting the parking lot, Audrey spotted her driver waiting patiently outside. But as she opened the car door, a sudden wave of nausea overwhelmed her. She couldn’t hold it back and hurriedly dashed back to the restroom.
After relieving her stomach, Audrey quickly freshened up. Looking into the mirror, she saw her face pale and drained from throwing up.
This pregnancy was vastly different from when Audrey carried Janey.
The sickness was severe this time, making it impossible for her to keep anything down. Constant vomiting took a toll on her body, causing significant weight loss.
Annis, always attentive, had consulted a physician and crafted an herbal remedy that proved effective in easing Audrey’s relentless nausea.
Audrey kept the remedy close at hand, fearful that her pregnancy might be prematurely revealed if she couldn’t control her nausea in public.
The mastermind behind Janey and Annis’ kidnapping was still at large, a looming threat that hung over their lives. Audrey couldn’t risk exposing her pregnancy, knowing it would put her and her loved ones in grave danger. For the safety of Janey and her family, she had to remain vigilant and discreet.
Audrey recalled Janey’s words urging her to tell Cornell about her pregancy, but the thought felt lodged in her throat Like a fishbone.
If Cornell discovered her pregnancy, he might insist on an abortion.
Until she knew where he stood, Audrey decided to keep her condition a secret.
Washing her hands, Audrey considered her options. Today, she had not brought along her herbal remedy, so while she might still feel sick later, she was okay for now after emptying her stomach.
Thinking about the remedy, Audrey recalled the man who had just hugged her had a faint scent of herbal medicine on him. That was how she deduced he wasn’t Cornell.
The man’s physique resembled Cornell’s, but his body was cold. From Audrey’s recollection, Cornell was always warm, radiating heat regardless of the weather. And the scent of cedarwood on his skin was etched in her memory.
Cap?tulo 821:
The unsettling realization that a stranger had hugged her sparked a wave of nausea. As Audrey stepped out of the restroom, a familiar voice reached her ears.
“You fool, why did you have to touch that woman? Now you’ve entangled me in this predicament!” Ruben complained.
“How was I to anticipate her reaction?” Klein retorted. “She’s divorced. Shouldn’t she be eager for young men like us? Instead, she was rigid, nothing like a woman’s caress. And she carries herself so arrogantly.”
Audrey recognized the speakers as the two affluent sons Benson had just introduced her to.
“Who embraced me from behind just now?” Ruben questioned.
“What? Someone embraced you?” Klein raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, and I felt a circular pendant or something. It felt like it was pressing into me. It certainly didn’t feel like a woman’s touch. I wonder which man thought he could exploit me.”
“A round necklace?” Klein’s expression shifted, and he promptly embraced Ruben from behind.
“You pervert! What’s this about? I prefer women!” Ruben exclaimed.
Klein remained composed and queried, “Like this?”
Ruben felt Klein’s hug, sensing something oddly familiar.
Klein reached beneath his shirt, producing a skull-shaped pendant.
“Is this what you meant?”
“You’re the one who hugged me!” Ruben yelled, his voice tinged with surprise.
Klein let go abruptly and delivered a sharp slap to the back of Ruben’s head. “Why didn’t you speak up earlier? Benson laid into me. He even threatened to spill the beans to my dad!”
“How could I have known? Why not ponder how you failed to realize you were embracing a man?” Ruben retorted.
“I was overly excited then,” Klein defended. “In the darkness, I didn’t initially notice.”
“Shall we return and fully explain to Benson?” Ruben proposed.
“Forget it. He’s formidable. If he doesn’t trust us, we’ll be in deeper trouble. Let’s stay low. I don’t want him to file another complaint to my dad!”
Audrey’s thoughts spun like a carousel as the two men vanished into the distance, leaving her with a bewildered expression frozen on her face. The individual who had embraced her, as it turned out, wasn’t Klein. Then who was it?
As Audrey meticulously reconstructed the night’s seating plan in her mind, vivid details emerged.
Klein wore a blazer, while the man who had embraced her donned a simple dress shirt. Benson’s friend chose a dress shirt, yet he sat several spaces away, making it impossible for him to quickly return before the room lit up. With him out of view, suspicion focused on the remaining man in a dress shirt.
Audrey’s fist clenched so tightly that her palm stung. Could it really be Cornell?
At the clubhouse entrance, Amilia followed closely behind Cornell.
Cap?tulo 822:
The harsh outdoor lights illuminated Amilia’s battered face, revealing a disturbing scene of injuries: a swollen cheek, raw scratches on her neck, dark bruises on her arms, and disheveled hair framing her face like a tragic halo. It seemed she had just emerged from a fierce battle.
Indeed, Amilia had. She had just endured a fierce confrontation with her so-called friend, Felice. Felice asserted having witnessed Cornell hand Amilia a business card, but Amilia vehemently denied it.
Unconvinced, Felice took action, delivering two sharp slaps to Amilia, demanding the card.
Nonetheless, Amilia stood firm, clutching the card like a vital lifeline. It represented her sole chance to rise into the upper strata of society.
Despite their supposed friendship, Felice had consistently treated Amilia with contempt, a constant reminder of their disparate backgrounds.
With her connections and resources, Felice could secure an invitation to the exclusive Kingbel Club, a world Amilia yearned to join.
Amilia acted as an intermediary, obtaining eligible men’s contact details for Felice. Only when Felice deemed the prospects unsuitable did they reach Amilia.
Why would Amilia comply to Felice’s orders when presented with the opportunity to ascend? Presently, she possessed a membership for the esteemed Kingbel Club. Armed with this credential, she could effortlessly mingle with the privileged henceforth. Felice, lacking such a membership, could no longer be considered her equal.
In the aftermath of their confrontation, Amilia promptly notified the clubhouse management of Felice’s deceitful entry.
Subsequently, security swiftly apprehended Felice, capturing her image before escorting her out unceremoniously. The ruling was definitive.
Felice would be permanently banned from the Kingbel Club and all its associated venues.
A smug sense of gratification enveloped Amilia as she recalled Felice’s contorted expression, the echoes of her curses lingering in her mind.
“Just observe this. All of this is a result of you. I just had a terrible fallout with my closest friend.” Amilia buried her face in her hands, assuming the role of the innocent victim.
Cornell disregarded Amilia, steadfastly advancing without a single glance backward.
Amilia’s eyes lingered on Cornell’s broad silhouette, her heart pounding in her chest like a distant war drum. This encounter marked her first conversation with such a striking man, and the peculiar intimacy of their evening left her resolute to seize this moment at any cost.
“Hold on…” Amilia called out, her voice flirtatious, hurrying after Cornell. Her plan to feign intoxication and link arms with him was deflected by his impatient evasion.
“Don’t pursue me,” Cornell responded, his face a stoic mask. Yet beneath, his smoldering irritation simmered.
Amilia’s eyes blazed crimson, her body trembling, as she murmured, “Can you take me along wherever you’re headed…”
Cornell ignored her, his stern expression betraying irritation at her plea. “Are you unable to comprehend simple speech?” he retorted coldly.
Amilia stood paralyzed, her face a tangle of confusion and hurt, with tears pooling in her eyes, on the brink of cascading down her cheeks.
In the dimly Lit room just moments ago, Amilia assumed Cornell had enveloped her in his embrace.
Knowing the club’s routine well, Amilia had positioned herself strategically near Cornell, never anticipating being swept into an embrace. With the lights flickering on suddenly, she was abruptly yanked back, coming face-to-face with Cornell. Instinctively, she had mistaken the person who held her for none other than Cornell himself.
Amilia struggled to comprehend the sudden shift in Cornell’s attitude toward her. How could things change so drastically in such a short time?