Cohen Howell was startled by her words. Divorce? Did Audrey Perry really mean it? He frowned, "Audrey, what kind of stunt are you pulling now?"
Audrey looked at him, her gaze steady, free from infatuation or anger. "Cohen, I’m not joking."
"You’re serious?" Cohen laughed mockingly, "You teamed up with the Howards and the Gallaghers to topple Howell Enterprises just to end up married to me? You lent me the money; Howell Enterprises is almost stable again. I don’t even like you, yet I have to treat you like some kind of goddess every day, and now you want a divorce?"
Audrey gave a rueful smile. Once, she would never have considered divorce.
"Cohen, believe it or not, this is the last time I’ll say it—it wasn’t me who sabotaged Howell Enterprises."
In her previous life, this was always a point of contention. Cohen believed she would do anything to marry him. After all, what other explanation was there when only the Perry family had the liquidity at that crucial moment? It was simply because her grandfather had the foresight to maintain ample cash flow for the company. But no matter how much she explained, Cohen wouldn’t believe her. Throwing away ten billion dollars would at least get you a dog wagging its tail in gratitude. But lending it to Cohen was like tossing it into the wind.
She was naïve in her past life, believing that persistence would melt a heart. But when a man’s heart is set on another woman, it’s impossible to sway him.
This time, she was still healthy, not yet worn down by Cohen and Cleo Hall. Having lived through a nightmare once, she had no intention of going through it again.
Cohen dismissed her explanation with a sneer. The logic in business was straightforward. Those who benefit are usually the culprits. After the entire debacle, neither the Howards nor the Gallaghers gained anything worthwhile. Only Audrey came out on top. If not her, then who else?
Explanations were pointless; there was no reason to offer more.
Audrey took a moment to bid farewell to the house she’d known for so long. She spoke suddenly, her voice calm, "I’ve had enough of being Mrs. Howell. I'm leaving. Since you say Howell Enterprises has rebounded, pay back the money and let's get divorced. I’m not bluffing."
Cohen snorted, doubting Audrey’s sincerity about wanting to leave. Did she underestimate him? Did she think he was joking about Howell Enterprises recovering? Ten billion was manageable; paying it back to the Perry family wasn’t a big deal!
Cohen stormed out, slamming the door behind him...
Audrey called Uncle Henry, the Perry family’s driver, to pick her up. Hearing his familiar voice brought tears of relief to her eyes. In her previous life, after the Perry family's fall, Cohen had forbidden anyone in Uptown from helping anyone associated with the Perrys. Soon, Audrey lost contact with Uncle Henry.
In the end, it was only after being diagnosed with cancer that she saw Uncle Henry again at her grandfather’s grave, laying flowers despite his own hardships. After the Perry family’s collapse, Uncle Henry struggled to find work. Later, Cleo Hall, on a film set, spoke up for him and got him a job delivering props. On a rainy day with slippery roads and under pressure to deliver on time, Henry had an accident.
The amputation left Uncle Henry without a livelihood. His subsequent life was unimaginably hard...
To think of sitting in a car driven by Uncle Henry again filled Audrey with gratitude and joy.
Mrs. Smith, the housekeeper, saw Audrey dragging a suitcase downstairs and rushed over. "Ma'am, are you going out?"
Audrey replied casually, "I’m going back to the Perry estate."
Mrs. Smith, ever loyal to Cohen, asked with concern, "Does Mr. Howell know?"
She had just witnessed Cohen leaving in anger; could the couple have fought again?
"He knows," Audrey replied.
Mrs. Smith helped Audrey with her suitcase, walking her to the car. She couldn’t help but advise, "Every couple has their ups and downs, Mrs. Howell. Don’t be too hard on yourself; come back soon."
Audrey knew she wouldn’t be back. "It’s more than just a quarrel. This marriage itself is a contradiction."
Facing illness and the end had taught her to let go. From now on, she wouldn’t hold onto Cohen Howell. There were many ways to live.
Mrs. Smith tried once more, "Mr. Howell’s pride often gets in the way; don’t take it to heart."
Audrey smiled but said nothing. It wasn’t just pride; she had once had genuine feelings. Now, she wouldn’t allow anyone to trample on her heart again.
Watching the car disappear into the distance, Mrs. Smith had a sinking feeling. Was Mrs. Howell really not coming back?
*
The next morning, Cohen received a divorce agreement from the Perry family's legal team. Ha! This woman was acting rashly. Howell Enterprises could indeed pull together ten billion in cash, but a bigger project was in need of some of those startup funds, and Cohen didn’t want to tap into that capital.
He tossed the agreement aside carelessly, not noticing the signed final page, which included a note. To speed up the divorce, Audrey had left a message stating they could finalize the divorce certificate before repaying the money. She would be at the county office promptly at ten in the morning.
By noon, Cohen still hadn’t shown up. Audrey found all her calls and messages blocked by Cohen, so she decided to confront him directly at Howell Enterprises.
Entering the company with the grace of a woman of wealth and style, sunglasses on, Audrey had an aura that made the staff assume she was some important business partner of the CEO, parting in deference as she walked by.
Her path was clear until...
"You can't go in!" a sharp voice declared.
Cecelia Williams, Cohen’s chief secretary, stood blocking Audrey’s way to the top floor, her stance and words assertive.
