Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Breaking the silence, Nicole spoke first, “Brett, it’s been a while.”
Brett exclaimed, “How did you find me?”
Before Nicole could respond, Callie interjected, “It was me, Dad. I invited Nicole here.”
“Callie, are you out of your mind?” Brett erupted furiously. “Have you forgotten everything I’ve told you?”
“I haven’t forgotten,” Callie asserted, rising to her feet with conviction. “I brought Nicole here because you promised we’d leave the country and never return. But what about Nicole? Why can’t you explain to her what happened that year? Is it connected to you or not, Dad?”
Callie’s tears flowed as she continued, “I refuse to have a murderer as my father. You can’t destroy another family’s happiness for the sake of ours. I’ve always looked up to you… but what about now?”
Facing Brett directly, Callie pleaded, “Dad, if you’re truly innocent, then reveal the truth to Nicole so she can understand. And I can find peace. Please?”
It was clear that Callie had oversimplified the situation. If it were that straightforward, Brett wouldn’t have spent years hiding, trembling at the mere mention of the police and the past.
Tense and silent, Brett gripped the cane tightly, his eyes dark, like a starving wolf, ready to pounce.
Nicole realized Brett had no intention of letting her leave. If she did, she would expose his location, and his gaze hinted at a readiness for violence.
Maintaining her composure, Nicole said, “Brett, it’s been a long time.”
Her tone momentarily stunned Brett. It transported him back to a time when a young Nicole had affectionately called him “Uncle,” showing no signs of being a spoiled rich girl. Back then, Nicole had been different from the typical wealthy individuals who looked down on others.
There was a time when Brett had truly admired Nicole.
Perhaps because he had a daughter of his own, he had seen in Nicole the poised, well-mannered person he wanted his own child to be. But now…
Brett loosened his grip on the cane and ordered, “Leave.” Letting Nicole go was his final act of kindness.
Alternatively, he could incapacitate her and throw her into the river.
Yet, Brett overestimated his resolve. He couldn’t bring himself to do it—especially not to the young girl who had once called him “Uncle” with affection.
Brett said, “Stop looking for me. I know nothing. If you value your safety, leave now.”
Nicole pleaded, “I only seek the truth. Please, tell me what really happened to my father.”
As Brett revisited the past, a shiver ran down his spine. Along with the shiver came a wave of guilt. However, he was also a father who needed to protect his daughter and support his aging parents. He couldn’t—wouldn’t—divulge the truth.
Brett steeled himself, raising the cane and pointing it directly at Nicole. “Miss Lawrence, you have five minutes. If you refuse to leave…”
He paused, his gaze filled with threat. “Hold me accountable for what follows.”
Naturally, Nicole had no intention of leaving. The fact that Brett was even willing to give her a chance to go suggested there was still a flicker of conscience in him. Maybe he had made a grave mistake in his desperation to protect his family.
As her father’s daughter, Nicole couldn’t forgive Brett’s actions, but she could understand his anguish.
Regardless, she remained firm in her resolve.
“Brett, I won’t leave until I uncover the truth,” Nicole declared.
“Then you’ve chosen the hard way!” Brett growled, raising the cane, ready to strike.
“Ah!” Callie’s scream pierced the air as she rushed forward, grabbing her father’s arm. “Dad, please, you can’t do this. Don’t hurt anyone!”
Brett looked helplessly at his daughter. This naive girl couldn’t understand that hurting Nicole was necessary to ensure her safety.
Tears streaming down her face, Callie pleaded, “Nicole saved me… You can’t hurt her…”
Brett, feeling powerless, relented. “Leave now. For Callie’s sake, I won’t harm you. But don’t push me, Miss Lawrence…”
Nicole stood firm, her silence a testament to her determination. She was too close to the truth to turn back now. Otherwise, her father’s soul would never rest.
Callie looked at Nicole, her own tears falling. She begged her father, “Dad, can’t you just be honest with Nicole? Tell her the truth, and then we can go. Please?”
Brett remained silent, while Callie’s eyes stayed locked on him, full of hope. “Dad, didn’t you always say that having a conscience is the most important thing?
Nicole’s family has been nothing but kind to us. Why can’t you tell her the truth? If her father was truly wronged, it’s a tragedy. Tell her, not hide it.”
Tears welled up in Nicole’s eyes. She locked gazes with Brett, then dropped to her knees with a loud thud, pleading, “Brett, I beg you… tell me the truth. Please…”
Brett was deeply moved by the scene unfolding before him. After a prolonged moment of silence, he finally spoke, his voice heavy with emotion. “Callie, please go to another room and wait for me.”
Callie hesitated, reluctant to be excluded. “Dad, can’t I know too?”
“Trust me, Callie. Just go to the next room,” Brett insisted, his tone firm.
Brett couldn’t bear the thought of burdening his daughter with the knowledge of his actions.
The guilt would be his alone to bear for the rest of his days. He wanted nothing more than for Callie to live a life free from such a heavy truth. If Callie were to discover that her father had committed a terrible deed for her sake, it would shatter her happiness irreparably.
Still concerned, Callie asked, “You won’t harm Nicole, will you?”
Brett met her gaze with sincerity. “Do you doubt your father? I assure you, I have never harmed anyone.”
With this reassurance, Callie seemed to find some peace. Casting a final glance at her father and Nicole, she turned and made her way to the next room.
Now it was just Nicole and Brett in the room.
As Brett helped Nicole to her feet, he muttered, “Miss Lawrence, please rise.”
Once standing, Nicole spoke softly, her voice tinged with urgency. “Brett, I trust you, but please, tell me the truth. What happened to my father?”
After a moment of contemplation, Brett finally said, “Miss Lawrence, your intuition serves you well. Your father was indeed murdered.”
Nicole felt as though a multitude of arrows pierced her heart, each causing unbearable anguish. Her father hadn’t taken his own life. He had been taken from her.
Brett recounted the events of that fateful year, his voice heavy with regret.
“Before the company’s layoff meeting, a woman approached me with an offer. She promised a substantial reward in exchange for my cooperation. She presented me with a tape, insisting I show it to your father.
The content was distressing—a video of you being harassed by several men. I refused outright. No money could justify such cruelty, especially given your father’s fragile health.”
Nicole listened in silence, piecing together the puzzle. The video in question must have originated from her time with Jarrod, likely recorded by Jamie.
It seemed Jamie was the only one capable of acquiring it. Jamie must have captured the video, arranged for its editing, and intended to present it to her father to emotionally manipulate him.
Brett continued, “Shortly thereafter, Callie succumbed to a severe illness, collapsing unconscious. Once again, that woman appeared at the hospital, asserting that a compatible kidney donor had been found for Callie. Not only did she pledge financial assistance, but she also coordinated the necessary surgical procedure for Callie.
“I hesitated initially, grappling with the weight of Callie’s coma and my rising panic. When the woman returned, temptation clouded my judgment, and I succumbed, agreeing to her terms. However, upon hearing my agreement, her demands shifted.”
Brett paused before proceeding, his voice heavy with the gravity of his revelation. “Her request shook me to the core. She demanded that I coerce Mr. Lawrence into taking his own life, making him a sacrificial pawn in her twisted scheme. I couldn’t entertain such a notion.
“Mr. Lawrence had shown me kindness and supported my family. To carry out such a deed would strip me of my humanity. Yet, that evening, Callie teetered on the brink of death. A grim prognosis was delivered, plunging me into a state of profound disorientation…”
Brett still bore the pain as he recounted the memories. His daughter’s critical state rendered him senseless. Looking back, Callie’s deterioration seemed unnaturally swift, particularly after the woman’s intervention. It had to be her doing.
But at that moment, Brett’s desperation to save his daughter eclipsed everything else. “I yielded to the woman’s demand. During the layoff meeting, while everyone congregated downstairs, I slipped into Mr. Lawrence’s office.
Familiar with dodging surveillance cameras, I remained undetected. Yet, Mrs. Lawrence was present, aware that I was the last to see her husband.”
Nicole remained unaware that her mother knew. The shock of it had proven too much, sending her mother into a coma that persisted to this day. That was why the truth had stayed hidden for so long.
Brett went on, “As requested, I played the video for Mr. Lawrence and then told him that burdening his child with parents like him could be overwhelming. I said those words to persuade him to take his own life. For a long while, Mr. Lawrence remained silent.
Eventually, he expressed his reluctance to burden his daughter. He couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her to face the world alone or making her feel that his death was her responsibility.
“Miss Lawrence, your father feared that his death would cast a shadow over you, making you believe it was your fault. He was a truly exceptional father, with an intimate understanding of you…”
Nicole’s eyes welled with tears, cascading down her cheeks. The anguish was suffocating; every breath was a labor.
Brett sighed. “Mr. Lawrence’s words moved me deeply. I realized the enormity of my wrongdoing. How could I endanger another loving father for the sake of my daughter?
I confessed everything, and he forgave me. His words still linger in my mind. He said, ‘Brett, I forgive you as a fellow father. Never repeat this mistake. Seek help if needed.'”
Brett’s eyes mirrored Nicole’s. Indeed, he and Mr. Lawrence were both fathers, guardians in need. He had nearly forfeited his right to fatherhood.
Brett replayed the events. “Shame weighed heavily on me as I left, abandoning Mr. Lawrence behind. Ashamed to face anyone, I sought solace. But as I retreated, I noticed my daughter’s gifted keychain was missing. Retracing my steps, I glimpsed a fleeting shadow down another corridor, assuming it was a colleague and dismissing it.
“Upon my return to Mr. Lawrence’s office, the door stood ajar, silence reigning within. Assuming Mr. Lawrence had departed, I retrieved my keychain. Just as I prepared to exit, I noticed the open window. The wind atop the building prompted me to close it, only to witness a gathering crowd below…”
Even now, Brett’s heart raced as he recalled the events of that day.
“I heard the commotion downstairs and realized something had happened to Mr. Lawrence. But moments earlier, he had assured me of his support, inviting me to seek his aid if ever necessary. Why then would he suddenly meet his end by leaping to his death?”
Brett’s initial suspicion centered on the unfamiliar figure he had encountered, whose hurried demeanor seemed incongruous for a staff member.
However, it wasn’t solely this observation that led Brett to suspect foul play in Mr. Lawrence’s demise. Brett also noted that Mr. Lawrence’s computer was still powered on, displaying the distressing video of Nicole being harassed.
Knowing Wesson’s unwavering devotion to Nicole, Brett reasoned that Wesson would never leave such a video accessible if he intended to end his own life.