Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
The intelligence center continued, “There’s another important matter.”
“Okay, go ahead.”
“Lorenzo’s favorite wife died shortly after her arrival in Ardlens.”
Puzzled, Matteo inquired, “Why did she come to Ardlens?”
“Her grandmother is one-quarter Ambrosian and came to Ardlens to pay a visit to her family, sparking the wife’s interest in tagging along.”
This new information caused Matteo to furrow his brow even more.
Everything fit together now. The wife’s death might have been engineered to trigger Lorenzo’s vengeance. Was Cornell orchestrating these events? And if so, to what end?
Matteo pondered whether it all tied back to Lorenzo’s hunting list, where Audrey was one of them.
After Matteo ended the call, W chimed in unexpectedly, “I know about Lorenzo’s favored wife.”
Turning around, Matteo asked, “How do you come by her information?”
W grinned. “You know. My grandfather is from Aurora. My father moved to Ambrosia for work where he met my mother.”
W loved to delve into his family’s history, but Matteo was impatient for the crux of the matter. “Get to the point.”
W cleared his throat. “In Aurora, it’s well-known among the Maxwell staff that Lorenzo adores that woman. She mirrors his ruthlessness, lacking any trace of humanity. I’ve heard tales of her savagely beating servants until they’re bloodied, and sometimes even skinning them alive. She’s infamous for her cruelty. The household staff are likely relieved she’s gone.”
Matteo’s expression grew even more troubled by these revelations. The Maxwell family’s brutality knew no bounds.
Matteo tried to call Luis, but only reached his voicemail. Luis was probably en route back to Ambrosia.
Matteo remained deep in thought, trying to figure out the best way to relay Luis’ good news to Cornell. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t find the right approach.
Thirty minutes earlier, at the opulent International Banquet Center, only Cornell and Katie were left in the echoing expanse of the venue.
The expressions on their faces darkened the lovely atmosphere of the venue, giving it a sinister air.
Katie was harboring dark plans, while Cornell’s demeanor was as unforgiving as ice.
Cap?tulo 937:
After her pleading attempts failed, Katie resorted to sincerity.
“Cornell, you must believe that I truly love you and would never harm you. After the wedding, I’ll do everything to find an antidote for you. I’ll make you take the medicine first to delay your condition. You must trust me…”
“Katie, drop the act,” Cornell cut in sharply. “Can’t you see? This wedding never had a groom. It was only ever about you.”
Confusion flashed in Katie’s eyes, struggling to grasp Cornell’s meaning. A wedding without a groom? What did he mean by that?
Cornell’s voice was deliberate, each word weighed.
“Isn’t this the wedding you wanted? I made it happen. Now, it’s all over.”
Katie’s confusion deepened. “Cornell, what do you mean…”
Cornell explained with a hint of accusation, “This wedding was designed to draw out your old ally, the one you conspired with.”
Fear took hold of Katie. “What old ally? What are you talking about?”
Cornell prodded her memory. “The one you worked with to cause Audrey’s car incident five years ago.”
Katie turned pale, a wave of fear washing over her face. Cornell knew about her involvement! “You mean Loren…” she started, but quickly silenced herself. How could she confess? She absolutely couldn’t.
Katie knew Cornell wouldn’t have confronted her without concrete evidence. But even if he had it, she doubted Lorenzo, after five years, would testify against her. As long as she denied everything, she was safe.
Katie had most of the dirty work done by Abel and simply regretted her involvement with Lorenzo. After all, Lorenzo was no petty criminal. He didn’t undertake tasks for mere money but for the thrill.
Lorenzo demanded that his clients personally explain their motives.
If he found their reasons compelling, he would accept the job. If not, he might even turn around and kill the client.
Meeting Lorenzo was risky. Luckily, Katie had Davey’s connection to the Maxwell family to rely on.
After invoking Davey’s name, Lorenzo had agreed not to harm Katie, allowing her to tell the story.
Knowing Lorenzo’s disdain for lies, Katie had told him a tale of a dark, intricate romance, like how she manipulated three women into destroying one another over Cornell, all while she remained unscathed.
Lorenzo was instantly intrigued.
When Lorenzo learned that Katie wanted him to eliminate Cornell’s most cherished woman, Audrey, his interest peaked.
Lorenzo thrived on encounters with individuals as twisted as he was.
He abhorred noble causes for murder, preferring to indulge his own darker impulses.
Thus, a pact against Audrey’s life was made between Katie and Lorenzo.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, Cornell. You think too badly of me. We grew up as childhood friends, didn’t we? You know I am not what you’re suggesting. Don’t you know me at all?” Katie denied the accusation.
“I don’t know you, Katie. How could I? We never grew up as childhood friends. Every time you visited my home as a kid, I avoided you. We see each other maybe once a year. How does that make us childhood friends? You’ve just concocted this whole narrative in your mind.”
Cap?tulo 938:
Katie’s face grew paler with each word Cornell spoke. He was right, but Katie had always been there, hidden in the shadows, watching his every move. From her earliest memories, she had observed him closely.
How could he dismiss that as nothing?
“No matter what you say, I never did those things,” Katie responded firmly, her voice filled with fear that Cornell might have tangible evidence against her.
“After that trusted servant by Cecilia’s side ended up in prison, you trained new servants to infiltrate and influence her. You pushed them to encourage Cecilia to provoke Tessa into making trouble for Audrey. And after Tessa was out of the picture, you backed Cecilia to set Audrey up. Once they were no longer useful to you, what did you do? Do you want me to spell it out for you?”
Cornell’s icy sarcasm was a thunderous sound in Katie’s ears. She froze. How could he know all this? It was as if he had been spying on her all along.
Katie had been cautious and most of the dirty work were handled by Abel. After the suspicion of Katie’s involvement rose, Cornell began to dig deeper. He meticulously detailed every part of the incident involving Audrey on a blackboard, untangling the complex web of relationships.
The picture he painted showed Katie, a woman with the facade of being gentle and kind, was obsessive, ruthless, and scheming, always shrouded in darkness while being the mastermind. He realized as long as Katie lived, she would never cease her manipulations. She would continue to pose a threat to Audrey’s well-being.
Since Katie had scapegoated Abel and ensured no direct involvement linked to her, Cornell understood she might easily avoid punishment.
That was why he had arranged the wedding Katie longed for.
Yet, nonetheless, Cornell still gave Katie a chance to confess and accept punishment in Ardlens. If she was willing, he wouldn’t proceed with his plan. But clearly, she would rather die than admit her wrongdoings.
Turmoil raged in Katie’s heart in those brief moments. “You’re slandering me!” she cried out.
She had worn her mask for too long to ever remove it willingly. So, she would never confess.
But Cornell pressed on relentlessly, his voice cold, “You colluded with Alexis and Henley to kidnap Janey and my mother. You even arranged for a car to try to kill them. And Mr. Gomez? You had killed him. Even the tragedy with my first child with Audrey was your doing.”
He backed Katie against the door, his eyes filled with lethal fury.
“Katie, your sins are unforgivable.”
“Ah!” Katie shrieked in horror. “You’re insane!”
She frantically turned the doorknob, but it wouldn’t budge. The door was locked. Turning back, she saw the deadly intent in Cornell’s eyes.
In a panic, she cried out, “Let me go, quickly! I’ll tell you everything. If you kill me, you won’t escape either. Why bother, Cornell? You don’t need to do this…”
Cornell took a step back, his expression unreadable. “Do you think I want to kill you?”
He snorted, his voice dripping with contempt. “Your blood is too filthy for me to even touch.”
Tears streamed down Katie’s face as she pleaded, “Then let me out!”
She lost all sense of dignity, dropping to her knees and reaching for his pant leg. “Cornell, please, let me go…”
When her hand brushed against his clothing, a wave of disgust washed over Cornell, and his face turned icy. He quickly kicked her hand away, his movements sharp and merciless.
“Ah!” Katie screamed in pain, curling up on the floor, cradling her injured hand.
Cap?tulo 939:
“There’s no way out, Katie,” Cornell said, his voice harsh and unyielding. “This hotel is surrounded by your old ally.”
“Surrounded? What kind of joke is this?” Katie’s face was a mask of terror and disbelief as she knelt, trembling. “How could you possibly have gotten Lorenzo to come here?”
She finally spoke Lorenzo’s name, revealing her recognition of him.
Knowing Lorenzo as she did, Katie refused to believe Lorenzo would intervene just because Cornell asked.
After all, Lorenzo had been blacklisted by Ardlens’ special forces five years ago and hadn’t shown much interest in returning.