Impulsive Vow to an Enigmatic Husband (END) novel Chapter 856

Chapter 856
Abigail had no clue about the tiff between Marcus and Cornelia. She rolled down the car window and greeted Marcus enthusiastically, “Mr. Hartley, are you here to pick up Cornelia?”
Marcus nodded, his gaze shifting to Cornelia behind her.
Abigail joked, “Cornelia, your hubby is here to pick you up. You should go with him.”
Zack pulled over, “Do you need to step out to talk to him?”
Cornelia shook her head.
Zack restarted the car and drove into the underground parking lot.
Abigail asked, “Did you guys have a fight?”
Cornelia replied, “No…”
Abigail pressed, “Then why would you guys fight?”
Cornelia reiterated, “I said we didn’t fight.”
Abigail pointed out, “He’s waiting for you at doorstep. You didn’t even say hi. And you’re saying you didn’t fight.”
Cornelia fell silent. Back at home, she rushed to the window to look down. Marcus was still standing there, lighting another cigarette.
When she first started working with him, he was a chain smoker. Then, for some reason, he quit smoking. Why was he smoking again?
Abigail joined her at the window, following her gaze, “Cornelia, what’s going on with you two? It’s boiling hot outside, like a sauna. Your husband has been standing there for a while. Aren’t you going to acknowledge him?”
Cornelia took out her phone and called Ayden, “Tell your boss to go home. It’s too hot, he could get a heatstroke.”
Ayden said, “I’m here to follow orders, not to give advice.”
Cornelia instructed, “Tell him I ordered him to go.”
Ayden questioned, “Why don’t you call him and tell him directly?”
Cornelia didn’t answer.
Abigail chimed in, “You always tell us to communicate and not to bottle up feelings. Why are you giving him the cold shoulder?”
Cornelia thought Abigail made sense, “I’ll go talk to him.”
Cornelia stepped outside the complex. Marcus put out his cigarette and walked toward her, “Cornelia…”
As he got closer, Cornelia smelled the tobacco on him, “Why are you smoking again?”
He admitted, “I’m feeling uneasy.”
Cornelia asked, “Because of me?”
Marcus confessed, “I’m worried you won’t need me anymore.”
His terse response made Cornelia’s eyes well up. She held back her tears and said, “I won’t leave you, but I have my own fears and worries…”
She paused, then continued, “I don’t want to be dependent on you just because you’re my husband. I don’t want to follow your every command. Before being your wife, I am Cornelia, an independent individual with my own thoughts.”
She knew what she was doing and what kind of marriage she wanted. Mutual respect was the bare minimum. Even the closest person to her couldn’t make decisions for her without her consent.
This time it was moving her stuff, what was it gonna be next, and then the time after that? There was still a long road ahead. If she didn’t interject this time, it would set a pattern of him always making decisions for her, making her increasingly reliant on him, and weakening her ability to take care of herself.
She believed if she lost herself, not only would she despise herself, Marcus wouldn’t like her either.
Sure, some people might think she was being dramatic, that he was doing it for her own good, that she should unquestionably obey him, that she shouldn’t have her own thoughts…