Reborn Young Miss: Phoenix Burning Red-Chapter 369: Easier Said Than Done (1)

Adrienne had already dealt with Bree and made sure the woman wouldn’t be able to get close to her husband. The manager of Elysian, to whom Bree owed a sizable sum of money, ought to have found her by now. As much as Adrienne wanted to shut down that place, she couldn’t do so. Powerful men ran Elysian, and she knew better than to mess with them. Instead, she decided to focus on her marriage and making things right with her husband.

But even with Bree out of the picture, Adrienne couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off. She felt that someone else was involved but couldn’t figure out who it would be. Lennox’s mood has dramatically improved since she and his siblings stayed with him in Jinling.

Though his working hours were still long, Lennox didn’t need more time on the road to return home. Adrienne considered staying longer in Jinling once the school year for the three children was over.

She and Noah were strolling in the mall while Scarlett and Sam were having their hair done in a salon when Adrienne saw Audrey shopping for clothes with her personal maid and son. Audrey was startled to see her, but she smiled at Adrienne once she recovered from her shock.

"Adrienne, what a surprise," Audrey said, her eyes moving to Noah, who held Adrienne’s hand tightly. "Is he one of Nox’s brothers?"

Adrienne nodded. "Yes, this is Noah. His youngest brother." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Noah was usually uncomfortable around other people he didn’t know, but seeing Adrienne knew the woman before them, he calmed down.

"We didn’t have enough time to speak when we met before. Would you like to join us for lunch, Adrienne?" Audrey asked.

Adrienne hesitated for a moment. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to spend more time with Audrey after what had happened with Bree. But Audrey’s smile seemed genuine, and Adrienne didn’t want to be rude.

"That sounds lovely; thank you," Adrienne replied.

Audrey led them to a nearby restaurant, and they settled in at a quiet table in the corner. As they ate, they talked about their families and their plans for the future. Adrienne was surprised to find that she actually enjoyed Audrey’s company. She seemed to care about Adrienne and her family genuinely, and she was easy to talk to.

Unlike her husband, Audrey was soft-spoken and calm. As they finished their meal, Audrey turned to Adrienne and spoke softly.

"I know things might have been difficult for you lately." She paused momentarily and said, "I know what Jacob has done to you and Lennox recently. I wouldn’t make an excuse for my husband, and I regret being unable to stop him."

Adrienne was rendered speechless. She hadn’t expected Audrey to confess her husband’s recent misdeeds to her.

"If you know what kind of person he is, why do you still choose to stay in your marriage?" She couldn’t help but ask the other woman while Noah was distracted by Audrey’s young son.

Noah seemed to be amazed to see a toddler up close. It was difficult not to be enamored by the child’s innocence with his chubby cheeks and contagious laughter. Adrienne couldn’t help but wonder if Audrey’s son’s presence had any bearing on her decision to stay in her marriage.

It wasn’t like Audrey was utterly unable to stand on her own. Adrienne somewhat understood Audrey’s predicament, as she was once foolish enough to stay in her marriage with Alistair in the past. Her previous self was utterly reliant on Alistair for everything.

Adrienne had learned the hard way that it took time and courage to break free from the toxic cycle of dependency. She hoped that Audrey would find the strength within herself to make the right decision for her happiness, as she had eventually done.

"It’s easier said than done, Adrienne," Audrey admitted. "If I decide to divorce Jacob, my father will surely disown me, and Jacob and I’ll surely try to take our son’s custody. I cannot afford to lose my son, Adrienne. He’s the only reason why I keep going."

Adrienne could see the pain etched on Audrey’s face and felt sympathy towards her. She knew all too well how difficult it was to deal with the complexities of a troubled marriage. Lennox rarely talked about Audrey, but she knew her husband held some concern for his ex-fiancée. She wasn’t worried about Audrey going after Lennox, as she knew he was committed to their marriage.

"I understand," Adrienne said softly. "It’s not an easy decision, especially when children are involved."

"I just wish things were different, you know?"

She quickly wiped her tears dry, not wanting others to misunderstand.

"I didn’t want to marry Jacob, but my family insisted I push through. I thought I could make it work, but deep down, I knew it wasn’t right."

She then glanced at Adrienne to see her reaction.

"I can’t blame Nox if he thought I betrayed him by marrying his cousin after his accident. We made an agreement years ago. I know Nox didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps and repeat the tragic incident between his parents. He agreed to marry me to protect me from my family; however, if at some point we met someone we wanted to be with, we would divorce and separate amicably."

Audrey fell silent as she felt guilt and sadness wash over her. She never anticipated that she would develop genuine feelings for Lennox, and now she was torn between her love for him and her loyalty to her family.

"I was worried for him when the news started to spread around that he was pursuing you, but when I saw how he smiled at you that night when we met you at the restaurant, I knew there was something special between you two. I’ve never seen Lennox that happy, only when he’s with you.

"I wish I could say I’m happy too, but that’s not the case. Jacob keeps reminding me that Lennox didn’t want me anymore, and I cannot be compared to you. My family refused to get involved in our marital issues. They believe it’s something we should work out ourselves, but it’s hard not to feel alone and unsupported."

Adrienne reached across the table and placed her hand on Audrey’s. "I know. But sometimes, we have to make the best of what we’ve been given. I’m here for you if you ever need someone to talk to."