Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
“Kick you?” Cornell showed interest. “Really?” When Audrey was pregnant, he hadn’t been around, so he was unaware of the babies ‘ movements.
“Yes, they can be quite naughty at times,” Audrey commented. Just then, her belly nudged outward slightly.
Cornell watched, fascinated. “Are the babies kicking you?”
“Yes.” Audrey noticed Cornell’s eyes sparkle and gently asked, “Would you like to feel them?”
Cornell’s deep black eyes lit up noticeably. “May I?”
“Of course, you’re the father,” Audrey replied.
Upon hearing this, Cornell felt an unexpected sadness rather than joy, sensing that Audrey was drifting further away from him. Her casual mention of the children hinted that she had already decided.
His deep, ink-black eyes shifted to a softer gray, and his hands moved instinctively to tenderly touch Audrey’s stomach.
The babies responded by firmly kicking his hand.
Cornell was taken aback. This was his first encounter with the miracle of lives. It was truly incredible! Their lineage would live on in this little belly, connecting him and Audrey.
“Audrey, let me stay. I want to be here to see our children born,” he implored softly. “I won’t disturb you. Please don’t send me away.”
Audrey closed her eyes, her heart heavy with pain. She couldn’t knowingly let Cornell risk amputation, knowing he still had so much life ahead of him.
She gazed at him, saying, “Cornell, you’re the father, no doubt about that, but…”
Cornell braced for the painful words that would follow that “but.”
Audrey continued, “I’m married now. I have my own life. If you stay, it will lead to misunderstandings with my husband. I don’t want my love to get the wrong idea.”
Audrey pulled the coat around her, seeking comfort in its warmth. Her way of addressing Stefan had shifted from first name to “my love.”
It echoed how she once affectionately called Cornell. She conveyed that everything had shifted, and there was no returning to how things used to be.
Audrey added, “The memories we created together seem to span a lifetime, but since it’s not suitable, parting is the right choice. Now, I seek a simple life with Stefan. Can you grasp that?”
Cornell’s Lips tightened, and the sparkle in his eyes gradually faded.
Audrey understood that he grasped the meaning of her words. He would come to terms with it eventually.
“I hope you can see my point.” She stood, her gaze falling on the sunlight filtering through the window, and then looked down. “When the celebration of our babies’ 100th day comes, I will invite you. Cornell, return to the Ardlens for your treatment. The climate there will be better for you.”
With these words, Audrey stepped toward the door.
“Audrey, please don’t leave…” Cornell called her from behind, the glow in his dark eyes fading.
He tiredly murmured, “Just hear me out. I won’t cause trouble. I just want to be there for the birth. I missed it when Janey was born, and I don’t want to miss the birth again.”
The man who once stood tall was now pleading.
Audrey hesitated in her steps but remained silent. Luis’ warning echoed in her mind. She never wanted amputations to enter the picture.
For such a dignified man like Cornell, losing a limb would devastate his life!
With her eyes shut, Audrey said firmly, “Cornell, our paths have ended, but you are still the father. I’ll allow you to see the children in the future, but if you act out of line again, I’ll cut off your access. They need a stable father more than anything.”
This statement struck Cornell hard, silencing him immediately. Their children were his vulnerability. Without access to his children, his life would lack purpose.
“Audrey, are you serious?” Cornell was known for his strong will. He had never been mild-tempered, but he had kept his composure for Audrey’s sake.
He argued, “You once promised that once we were free, we’d live as a family, yet you turned around and married another. You broke your promise!”
Cornell vividly recalled that moment in the banquet hall, where Audrey had stood by him and made those promises. She had spoken those words herself, and now she was contradicting them.
He had watched the surveillance footage too, and Audrey, whom everyone believed to be cold-hearted, would visit his ward late at night, simply checking from outside without stepping in. Her slumped shoulders and the action of wiping tears were heart-wrenching. Didn’t these actions show she still cared for him?
Cornell was baffled as to why she would offer him hope only to cast him back into despair.
“”Audrey, you know I love you, and that’s why you’re so harsh with me.”
Cornell said with a heavy heart. “You’re harsh only toward me, which seems so unjust.”
Audrey struggled to defend herself, unsure of what to say. She was sure of her own feelings; it wasn’t that she didn’t love him, but she was scared to love him at that moment. The love stakes were too high. She simply couldn’t bear them anymore!
At that moment, the door opened.
Stefan entered with a warm demeanor. “Have you finished talking?”
Cornell’s face tensed. So Stefan had been outside all along. Did Audrey decide to talk with him after getting advice from Stefan?
Cornell found this difficult to accept. The truth stared him in the face, but he couldn’t accept it.
Stefan took Audrey’s hand and addressed Cornell, “Mr. Clement, it would be best for you to return to the Ardlens for your treatment. You are welcome to visit when the children are 100 days old.”
Next to Stefan’s generosity, Cornell’s selfishness and stubbornness were highlighted.
At this moment, Cornell felt like a brazen homewrecker, meddling in someone else’s marriage. His fist clenched, his posture rigid.
Stefan regarded Cornell calmly, showing no reaction to his silence and discourtesy.
Stefan then looked down at Audrey and suggested gently, “Let’s go home.”
“Mm-hmm.” Audrey agreed. Her simple affirmation carried a hint of reliance.
Audrey was deeply reliant on Stefan, much like any loving couple.
Stefan’s grasp shifted to interlacing their fingers, and they exited side by side.
For a moment, Cornell felt a surge of desire to leap from the bed and separate them, to disrupt their unity. Audrey had once vowed to stay with him forever. Yet now, she was clasping another man’s hand and walking away without hesitation.
Cornell attempted to rise, but his legs were numb and unresponsive.
Now, he was unable to chase them.
“Bang!” The bedside lamp crashed to the floor.
This sharp noise reached Audrey’s ears. She recognized that this truly marked the end of their relationship.
She wanted to be courageous, but the cost of courage was often more than she could handle. She was just an ordinary person… Sometimes, one must accept the role of fate.
The threats that surrounded her and Cornell hadn’t ended with Katie’s death and continued to Lurk and intensify in the shadows.
Audrey had to brace for the worst, ensuring that if she couldn’t escape, at least their children would have their father. Parents played an invaluable role. At the very least, Cornell would be there for their children. If fate dictated they couldn’t be together, her biggest hope was Cornell’s safety and well-being.
As they walked, Audrey was unaware that tears had begun to stream down her face.
Stefan stopped in front of the car, placing his hands on Audrey’s shoulders, and drew her close into his embrace. “If you need to cry, go ahead,” he murmured, looking down at her hair. “No one is watching.
Audrey’s shoulders trembled as she finally let her guard down, crying freely.
Stefan felt saddened to see her cry so much. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, whispering, “Why do you always have to be so strong? You don’t have to fight battles alone.”
He was typically composed and dignified, seldom engaging in such light-hearted banter.
Audrey found her spirits lifted slightly upon hearing his words.
Stefan reassured, “Don’t fret. I’ll make sure to check on his treatment progress.”
Stefan felt like he fell short, not as courageous as Cornell. Cornell dared to chase after what he loved, while he hesitated to express his feelings. He feared that voicing his feelings for Audrey might cause her to distant herself from him, leaving him in a worse state than now.
Audrey, having cried into his sweater, felt embarrassed. “I’ll have Victor pick up a new one for you.”
Stefan thought if she were the one who bought it, he would cherish it. He smiled and said, “No need. It’s just a sweater.”
“Let’s head home.” He opened the car door for Audrey to enter.
As Stefan’s car pulled away, the silhouette at the ward window remained.
As Cornell watched them walk and cuddle affectionately, it felt Like his heart had been stabbed, causing it to bleed heavily. He should have been the one to hold Audrey’s hand, hug her, and comfort her…
Stefan had taken over his role completely.
Cornell departed the following day.
Coming back to the Ardlens for surgery now meant Cornell would miss Audrey giving birth.
He had desperately wanted to be there for the birth, but Audrey had not given him the chance, showing no mercy or compassion.
Audrey used facts to express her desire to live happily with someone else. Cornell couldn’t bear it, nor could he watch their displays of affection without feeling turmoil.
If this kept up, he had no idea how he might react. His actions could become reckless or even worse.