Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
“I’ll take you out tomorrow,” Davey confirmed.
Casey experienced a surge of happiness at the prospect of finally venturing out. If given the chance, she would find an opportunity to leave some clues behind, since she harbored concerns about potential complications during Jimena’s anticipated delivery process.
As a precaution, Casey decided to leave hints herself as a safer contingency plan.
“Since you’re getting what you desire, shouldn’t you strive to ensure my happiness?” Davey’s implication was unmistakable as he gazed at her.
Casey found herself speechless. While she resisted the urge to comply with his desires, she also hesitated to provoke him at this moment.
Thus, when he leaned in for a ki*s, she acquiesced quietly, Lowering her gaze without protest.
Davey merely nibbled her lip, applying gentle suction before releasing her, leaving her breathless.
Just when Casey thought she had evaded further advances, Davey suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace. In a low murmur, he remarked, “Casey, I appreciate your obedience, yet I find excessive compliance off-putting. Isn’t that contradictory?”
Casey silently cursed him, likening him to a madman. His fixation on obedience was merely a guise to excuse his own deficiencies. True submission held no value to him. What he craved was dominance without the challenge of conquest.
Just then, Davey observed a begonia blossom flutter to the ground outside the window in the windless greenhouse, an unsettling feeling of isolation descended upon them.
The solitary branch, bereft of its blossom, appeared stark amidst the densely clustered blooms surrounding it.
A sense of solitude enveloped Davey. He closed his eyes briefly, contemplating the flower he had meticulously nurtured, now withering so easily. What he truly desired was Casey’s innate submissiveness, not a contrived version.
“Casey, will you deceive me?” Davey inquired once more.
Casey’s heart skipped a beat. Feigning composure, she responded with a dismissive tone, “Davey, aren’t you tired of these mind games?”
“I pray you never deceive me. Just remain by my side as you are now,”
Davey asserted firmly. He would not permit her the opportunity to deceive him and to ensure that, he contemplated taking certain precautions.
Casey felt a sense of unease but struggled to identify its source.
After all, Davey’s manner of speaking lacked coherence at times, characterized by erratic shifts from one emotional extreme to another, which frequently disrupted the flow of conversation.
It was as if he harbored multiple personalities within him, all variations of Davey. Yet, each was inherently shadowed.
Just as Casey anticipated Davey’s intention to restrain her on the bed once more, he suddenly released her.
Rising to his feet, he adjusted his suit and remarked, “I still have some pressing matters to attend to. You may retire early tonight. There’s no need to wait up for me.”
Casey had barely exhaled a sigh of relief when Davey’s voice broke the silence once more. “And tomorrow, when we venture out, don the blue diamond necklace.”
Casey’s heart skipped a beat, fearing he had uncovered something, her pulse nearly leaping from her throat.
Davey’s demeanor appeared normal as he casually remarked, “You look stunning with it. I really admire it.”
With that, he made no further delay, turning to depart.
Casey waited until he had departed before cautiously placing her hand over her wildly pounding heart, recognizing that was a close call.
Tomorrow, she could find a pretext to avoid wearing the necklace, but she needed to find a way to warn Jimena to leave immediately. She harbored doubts about her ability to sustain the deception in the face of future encounters.
Casey contemplated indirectly asking the butler for updates on Jimena, recognizing that beneath Jimena’s facade of simplicity and kindness lay a shrewd individual.
If the butler mentioned, Jimena would undoubtedly be on high alert and make her exit. That would be the most favorable outcome.
At that moment, Casey couldn’t help but admire Jimena’s resilience, recognizing that only someone like her could endure the clutches of a madman like Davey.
As Davey exited the house and entered his car, the assistant presented him with a piece of roughly stitched embroidery.
The assistant relayed, “Dr. Hinks didn’t appear to intend to send this out. Instead, she simply discarded it into a trash can.”
Davey gazed at the crude embroidery in silence, though the throbbing veins on his forehead betrayed his simmering rage. A cold chuckle escaped him. It appeared that nothing occurred without meticulous calculation.
Jimena had already returned home and discarded the embroidered handkerchief Casey tasked her to deliver to Audrey.
Her intention to aid Casey was nonexistent from the outset. She had already achieved her objectives and wasn’t willing to jeopardize herself for such a perilous undertaking. She intended to inform Casey that she had dispatched it, but whether it reached its intended recipient remained uncertain to her.
Additionally, with numerous servants in the Clifford household and an atmosphere of chaos prevailing, verification of such matters was impractical. She remained unverifiable in her assertions. This strategy ensured that if Casey managed to escape, she could profit twice over.
Even if Casey remained captive, Jimena possessed the blue diamond necklace, a necklace valued at hundreds of millions. Should she choose to sell it, she could potentially fetch fifty million, eighty million, or even a hundred million.
High-quality items like this necklace typically appreciated over time, further enhancing their desirability to collectors.
However, before parting with it, Jimena intended to relish wearing it herself for a period, luxuriating in the fantasies of a wealthy young woman.
She slipped into a champagne-colored gown pilfered from the wardrobe of a wealthy woman, finding it a perfect match for the necklace.
She spun gracefully before the mirror, dancing with increasing fervor.
The longer she admired herself, the more enamored she became with her appearance.
Pretending to embody high society felt remarkably effortless to her with this dazzling necklace. She carefully observed her reflection in the mirror, imitating Casey’s refined gestures, and adopting the demeanor of a sophisticated lady herself.
The result was somewhat humorous, yet the allure of the necklace blinded her to any absurdity. She convinced herself that she truly embodied the essence of a wealthy young woman, even likening herself to Casey.
With this notion taking root, a cascade of similar thoughts followed.
However, her dreams were suddenly disrupted by a sequence of knocks at the door.
The knocks echoed with a steady, rhythmic cadence, lacking any sense of urgency.
Suspecting it might be a family member, Jimena hastily threw on a large coat, neglecting to remove her evening dress and the blue diamond necklace. She approached the door, partially concealing herself.
Upon opening it, she was met by a composed, scholarly-looking man.
As soon as Jimena recognized him, she nearly suffered a heart attack from the shock. Frozen in place for several moments, she struggled to utter a word.
Davey’s smile was disconcertingly charming as he spoke. “Wouldn’t you care to invite me in for a seat?”
Jimena stuttered, “Mr… Mr. Glyn…”
Without waiting for a response, Davey calmly brushed past Jimena, taking a seat on the lone sofa. Observing the still-dumbfounded Jimena by the door, he instructed, “Close the door and join me.”
Jimena’s hands trembled as she closed the door, a palpable unease settling over her. She took measured steps toward the sofa, careful to maintain a safe distance, her reluctance evident. Her countenance betrayed sheer terror, every feature etched with fear, and she held her breath, hesitant to release even a sigh.
“Do you find yourself gripped by fear?” Davey regarded her with a seemingly friendly countenance. “Are you aware of the purpose behind my visit?”
At first, Jimena had clung to a faint hope that Davey’s presence wasn’t directly related to recent events. However, that hope was swiftly extinguished in the current moment.
A violent shudder coursed through her, and she sank to her knees abruptly. “Mr. Glyn, I implore you to show mercy.”
Jimena lowered her head. tears streaming down her face. “Madam compelled me to do it..”
“Oh?” Davey’s curiosity piqued. “How exactly did she manipulate you?”
Lounging comfortably, Davey crossed his legs, his posture relaxed.
“Please, share the details.”
Clutching the coat tightly to herself, Jimena’s voice quivered as she recounted, “Madam instructed me to assist her in delivering something to an individual outside. She threatened to fabricate accusations against me if I refused, insisting that you would have me eliminated. I was consumed by fear, unable to defy her commands, so I… I complied.”
“What precise actions have you taken?” Davey’s voice maintained its composed and even tone.
Despite the ongoing rumors around Davey’s ruthless, Jimena had never witnessed it herself. Plus, he seemed emotionally stable. Maybe…
Jimena’s thoughts raced as she summoned the courage to lift her gaze, wearing a contrite expression. “Previously, at the behest of her, I procured a specific medication. This time, she instructed me to deliver an embroidered handkerchief to the new daughter-in-law of the Clifford family.”
Jimena displayed astuteness, recognizing Davey’s considerable influence. Aware that fabricating falsehoods could lead to dire consequences, she opted for a narrative containing elements of truth, subtly embellishing where necessary.
Continuing her admission, she added, “The handkerchief bore motifs of swallows and Angelica Sinensis, mirroring the package of the gift in your possession. However, I deviated from instructions. I discarded it in an outdoor waste receptacle. Should you dispatch someone to verify, they will discover it there, substantiating my honesty.”
Davey refrained from acknowledging this, redirecting with a query.
“Have you previously encountered the gift?”
“Yes, sir. I encountered it during one of my examinations of her.”
Jimena elaborated, “The design struck me as exceptionally beautiful, prompting me to take a photograph with the intention of recreating it for her at a later time. However, upon noticing she was embroidering the identical pattern, my curiosity piqued, leading me to make a passing remark. It was then that she instructed me to deliver her embroidery to the new bride.”
“Why did you choose not to deliver it?” Davey appeared puzzled. “You mentioned her threats previously, so what made this instance different?”
“Because I couldn’t betray your trust…” As she uttered these words, Jimena stole a glance at Davey, noting his unaltered demeanor, which reassured her.
She continued earnestly, “You’ve always shown kindness to me. I understand the value of reciprocating goodwill. While I may lack the means to defy her openly, I made a clandestine decision not to comply.”
With a pleading gaze, Jimena emphasized, “Sir, my loyalty to you is unwavering, regardless of the circumstances.”
This statement appeared to be less about genuine allegiance and more about employing a tactical enticement, a cautious exploration.