“Isn’t it so beautiful?”
The diamond glistened under the dazzling light. It was inlaid with a very rare blue diamond. Audrey had once heard that such a diamond was called Blue Tears, which was priceless.
Audrey’s knuckles turned white as she clutched the shopping bag in her hand. The fingernails on her other hand sank into her palm and it began to bleed a little. However, she didn’t feel any pain.
Calm down, Audrey! She told herself, expelling a breath slowly.
It was a trap. Cecilia must want her to fly off the handle so she would be painted as the hostile one.
Yet, no matter how hard she tried to stay calm, there was still a boulder in her gut. She couldn’t breathe properly.
Cecilia smiled sweetly and said, “I think Cornell bought this diamond ring because he wants to propose to me. He asked you to wait here because he wants you to witness our happy moment. Oh, I can’t wait!
Do you know that he flew to Swynborough many times in the past two years just to see me? I was so stupid to have let such a good man go. Now, I’ll make it up to him for the lost time. We are going to live happily ever after.”
Cecilia had dreamy eyes as she remarked.
She continued, “If I hadn’t gone abroad in a fit of pique, how would Cornell have married someone else on a whim just to please his grandfather? I know he only did that to get back at me. Now that I’m not feeling well, he’s so worried about me.”
“That’s impossible!” Audrey blurted out with a pale face.
Audrey found it hard to believe that her two-year marriage to Cornell happened just because he wanted to get back at Cecilia.
If it was true, what did that make her?
A pawn in their game?
Audrey refused to believe it. Her hands kept shaking, and even her body couldn’t help trembling.
Cornell told her that he made her his wife because she was the most suitable woman for that title. It made her feel very special. She thought they were destined to be together.
But now, she was learning that it was all fake. How could that be?
An orphan like her was defenseless. In case of maltreatment, she would have no choice but to suck it up.
Maybe Cecilia was telling the truth. Cornell must have felt she was the most suitable because he could easily dominate her.
Oh, what a fool she had been!
Seeing Audrey’s pale face, Cecilia knew was making headway now.
Cecilia reached out and held Audrey’s hand. The smile on her face became softer.
“Audrey, I know it’s hard to accept the truth, but my conscience has been pricking me for far too long. I felt that you deserved to know the truth now that you two are getting divorced.”
Then, Cecilia slid over a bank card and continued sympathetically, “This card contains five million dollars. It’s compensation from me and Cornell. I hope you won’t hold a grudge against us and forget everything about the Clement family.”
This was like a slap in the face for Audrey.
Audrey couldn’t deny that Cecilia defeated her now. But the game was rigged against her from the onset!
Memories came flooding into her mind like a tidal wave of horror.
In the past two years, Cornell went on several business trips to Swynborough. He spent many days on each occasion. No matter how hard she begged, he refused to take her with him.
To make matters worse, he wasn’t the one who bought her the wedding ring in her hand. It was Matteo who handed it to her before she got the marriage certificate.
It appeared Matteo bought the ring on Cornell’s orders.
But even so, Audrey had cherished the ring so much that she never took it off even when she was taking a shower.
Now, it dawned on her that she’d gotten the barest minimum.
Her heart was torn into shreds at this moment. The wound inside her was worse than having her leg crushed by a truck.
Cornell was so cruel.
Why did he hurt her in this way?
Audrey felt suffocated. Unwilling to listen to any more of this, she leaped to her feet with the shopping bag in her hand.
“Aren’t you gonna wait for Cornell to get back?” Cecilia also stood up.
Audrey suppressed the surging pain in her heart and sneered, “Cecilia, you have gotten what you wanted. What else do you want from me?”
The smile on Cecilia’s face froze. She said with fake innocence, “What do you mean? I only told you the truth because I felt sorry for you.
Why are you making it seem like I’m the problem here?”
“What are you so afraid of?” Audrey asked her directly.
She was a little naive, but she was no fool.
It was crystal clear to her that Cecilia said all that just to get her to give up her feelings to Cornell.
But did Cecilia have to go to that length?
Cornell clearly didn’t love her and that was why she lost the game.
As a result, Audrey didn’t understand why Cecilia was still feeling insecure.
For a fleeting second, Cecilia’s face changed, but her calm and confident smile returned like it never left.
Cecilia pointed at herself and said, “Me? Afraid? Why would I be?
Everyone knows that I am the love of Cornell’s life. He might have slept with you a few times, but that doesn’t change a thing. I’m abroad and can’t satisfy his sexual desire. Men always have needs. I can understand him.”
Cecilia portrayed herself as a warrior who sacrificed for her Love as if Audrey had stepped into their relationship.
“Since you are so confident, why are you still trying to push me to anger?”
Audrey found this amusing. With one hand on her hip, she looked at Cecilia and asked, “Why are you telling me all this now? Are you trying to exaggerate your place even though you are still nothing but a side chick?”
“You!” Cecilia pointed at Audrey as her cheeks puffed in anger.
“Let me get this straight. If you feel cheated, that’s on you. I never did anything to hurt you. I do not need your fake kindness nor do I owe you shit!”
Audrey’s words irritated Cecilia to the bone. Just as Cecilia was about to charge at Audrey, she froze.
“Ah!” Cecilia screamed. Somehow, the cup of coffee in front of her spilled on her body and hands. She looked a mess.
Audrey’s eyes narrowed. This crazy woman was up to no good again!
Cecilia blinked hard to force out tears. She looked at Audrey pitifully and said, “I have been nothing but nice to you, Audrey. I really don’t get why you hate me. But if you want to vent your anger, just hit me. I promise not to fight back.”
Suddenly, she held her head and staggered back as if she lost all her strength.
“Cecilia!”
A tall figure appeared out of nowhere and caught her in the nick of time.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.