Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
In any case, Audrey sensed this was a troubling sign.
Back at the villa, rather than finding peace, the image of Cornell trying to rise from the wheelchair haunted her. This scene had become deeply ingrained in her mind. She finally realized how much she had wanted to be there, to encourage him to stand up.
The weather in Aurora was always unpredictable. Just like now, a heavy snow had begun to fall suddenly outside.
As Audrey looked at the snowfall through the window, she felt a chill, even though she was inside a warm room. It was just a psychological effect, yet she still wasn’t quite accustomed to Aurora’s weather.
Watching the snow, she thought about how difficult it must be for Cornell, given his old injury.
The vivid image of him, alone in this foreign land and enduring the pain, kept surfacing in her mind. This mental picture deeply affected her once again.
Audrey recalled a little trick her grandmother had taught her to ward off the cold and soothe old injuries.
Without hesitation, she quickly grabbed her phone, typed out detailed instructions, and sent them to a familiar number.
After sending the message, her restlessness grew as she clutched the phone, waiting for Cornell’s response.
Anxiously, 60 seconds later, his reply came. “Tried it. Works well. Thank you.”
That simple, impersonal “thank you” after such a brief wait crushed all her emotions. What had she been expecting?
Muting her phone, Audrey set down the phone and lay on the bed, feeling foolish about her actions. Especially recalling his words from the other day. “If you want to know something, just ask me directly. No need to beat around the bush.”
She slapped her forehead in frustration. What was she even doing? It really did feel like she was trying to lure him in. How embarrassing!
Audrey’s insomnia the previous night caused her to wake up Later than usual in the morning.
When she finally got out of bed, Erick summoned her to discuss the upcoming celebration for the babies.
Initially, Erick had not wanted Audrey involved in something so perilous. However, he knew that the cunning Davey would likely suspect something if Audrey were absent. That could be disastrous.
They needed to keep their plans hidden from Davey, at least until they found their mother.
This step was crucial and required Audrey’s presence to ensure everything appeared normal.
After outlining the general plan, Erick noticed Audrey’s drooping eyelids and lackluster energy. “Didn’t sleep well last night?” he asked.
Audrey nodded. “A bit of insomnia.”
Erick, assuming she was anxious about the operation, tried to reassure her. “Don’t worry too much. I’ll make sure you’re safe.”
“I’m not worried,” Audrey replied.
“But Erick… Do you know about Cornell’s leg injury?” She hesitated before asking, “How serious is it?”
Erick paused and then replied, “I’m not too clear on the details. It’s best you ask him directly.”
After all, Cornell had instructed Erick to keep it confidential. If Cornell preferred not to share that information with Audrey, it wouldn’t be right for Erick to disclose it.
Moreover, Erick feared that if Audrey knew the whole truth, she might blame herself for Cornell’s worsened condition, leading her to sadness once more.
If Audrey asked Cornell directly and Cornell chose to tell her the full story, that would be a different matter altogether.
Erick was confident that Cornell would do whatever it took to comfort Audrey.
Audrey gently bit her lip and confessed, “Erick, I’m always afraid… I’m afraid that my presence brings him misfortune.”
Erick observed her. Though not adept with emotions, he recognized Audrey’s tangled worries stemmed from her inability to let go of Cornell. These two…
Erick shook his head inwardly and spoke slowly. “Audrey, sometimes you need to understand that the opposite of misfortune might actually be fortune. Everyone makes different choices. If it were up to you, would you prefer to live devoid of feelings, or cherish every precious moment with someone you love? So, don’t confine yourself to one-sided views. If it’s weighing on your heart, you should resolve this issue until you can fully let it go.”
Erick’s advice seemed to clear Audrey’s mind. She realized she had been swayed by Katie’s misleading words, thinking she was the cause of Cornell’s troubles. Yet, even in her absence, Cornell’s leg condition had deteriorated. Who was to blame then?
Audrey was a woman of action. If she was unsure about something, she would investigate it herself. Concerned about Cornell’s leg, she decided to see the situation for herself. She dialed Matteo and inquired, “Matteo, is Cornell still in the hospital?”
“No, Mr. Clement is currently at the Aurora Conference Center, engaged in talks about the project.”
Audrey was shocked. “He’s back at work? How is his leg holding up?”
Matteo glanced at Cornell, who was completely absorbed in his work, and felt a pang of bitterness. “Miss Foster, Mr. Clement won’t Listen to me. He’s skipped both breakfast and lunch.”
Torn between his duties and concern, Matteo added reluctantly, “If you get the chance, I hope you can persuade him to take better care of himself.” After ending the call, Audrey looked at the chat log on her phone.
The conversation with Cornell was unchanged from the night before.
His simple “thank you” hung there. She hadn’t responded, and he hadn’t added anything else. Interacting through the detached medium of the phone made everything feel more distant and cold.
Audrey put on her coat, got in her car, and set out, determined to visit Cornell.
Audrey soon arrived at the Conference Center, where Cornell diligently immersed himself in work.
Having expected Audrey’s arrival, Matteo had already been patiently waiting outside.
Upon their meeting, Audrey wasted no time and directly addressed Matteo, “Matteo, our history spans many years. May I request honesty from you?”
Matteo paused, contemplating whether Audrey had become aware of Cornelll’s significant blood donation for her.
Matteo hesitated, mindful of the repercussions from the previous occasion where he revealed more than he should have to Audrey, for which he was sent overseas by Cornell to oversee mining operations in Tanzania for nearly six months.
Despite the unchanged salary and benefits, the prospect of enduring a dilapidated environment and the absence of individuals of his nationality left Matteo with no desire to return to that place.
The primary concern revolved around the women in that location, who found him, a rare face among the locals, attractive and boldly made attempts to get intimate with him. There were nights when several women trying to get cozy with him within hours.
Alarmed, Matteo swiftly constructed a brick house as a defense against these advances. His preference wasn’t rooted in a dislike for those women. Rather, he simply favored those of the same skin tone with whom he could communicate comfortably in his native language.
Matteo’s brow furrowed deeply as he recalled those painful days. Yet, he still answered, “Miss Foster, please, go ahead and ask.”
“I want to know the true situation with Cornell’s leg,” Audrey stated.
Matteo paused for seconds, realizing Audrey’s unawareness of the cause of Cornell’s worsened condition meant she was still oblivious to Cornell’s significant blood transfusion for her. With that in mind, he felt he could share the truth.
With a solemn expression, Matteo revealed, “The experts in Aurora have determined that Mr. Clement’s condition is incurable. For the rest of his life, chances are that he will be dependent on crutches and a wheelchair.”
“Incurable?” Audrey repeated, her disbelief evident.
Matteo nodded gravely.
Audrey couldn’t comprehend it. How could this be? Wasn’t it said that as long as Cornell underwent surgery, his leg would gradually recover?
And she distinctly remembered seeing him standing before the childbirth.
Anxiously gripping Matteo’s arm, Audrey pressed, “That very night you all just arrived and came to see my brother, he was able to stand, wasn’t he?”
Audrey’s memory was crystal clear. That particular night, Cornell had indeed stood for a while. Moreover, he hadn’t been accompanied by crutches or any wheelchair-related items.
Matteo recollected the incident Audrey mentioned, explaining, “That night, the bottom of Cornell’s crutch was a bit oily, so I went to replace it. He was able to stand for a while before, but couldn’t walk much.”
Following that night, Audrey had witnessed Cornell using the crutch regularly.
Hearing this revelation, Audrey felt as if the world was crumbling around her. The reality seemed too harsh to accept. Cornell’s potential dependency on crutches for the entirety of his life weighed heavily on her mind. He was such a proud man. How could he possibly come to terms with relying on a crutch for the rest of his days?
Her mind a mess and her feelings mixed, she walked forward and managed to locate Cornell. In a daze, she couldn’t recall if she had even knocked before pushing the door open.
By the time she found Cornell, he was crouched on the floor, appearing to have stumbled while gathering scattered documents from his desk.
Beside his office chair sat the customized black wheelchair.
In an instant, Audrey felt a rush of blood to her head, as if she had turned into a stone statue, her mind in a turmoil.
Cornell briefly met her gaze with calm, dark eyes.
Audrey could no longer contain her emotions. She rushed over, extending her hand to help him.
But before she could touch him, Cornell gently withdrew, softly stating, “I can manage.”
Audrey’s hand froze midair, her demeanor stiffening.
Cornell lowered his gaze and braced his elbow on the floor. With practiced ease, he used his other hand to hook the chair leg, leveraging himself up to sit back in the chair. The entire process was executed with practiced precision, indicating that he had performed this maneuver countless times before.
Despite his swift movements, Audrey couldn’t help but notice that one of his legs hung limply, a glaring indication of his condition.
Audrey’s nose stung, leaving her at a loss for words.
Observing her reaction, Cornell’s brow furrowed slightly. “Did Matteo say something he shouldn’t have?”
In response, Audrey shook her head vaguely. “No, he didn’t say anything. I simply observed…”
Cornell remained unconvinced. Ever since his condition had worsened, Matteo’s recent reaction to his orders, especially those he had specially warned against revealing to Audrey, had displayed a growing level of cunning.
Matteo appeared to outwardly acknowledge and understand directives, yet whether he had stuck to the directives remained questionable. Judging from Audrey’s current demeanor, it was evident that Matteo had indeed divulged something to her once more.