Stewart stood outside the door, his sharply defined features cold and distant. "I'll be away on business for a few days. Rosita can't handle him alone, so I'll have to trouble you to look after him for a bit."
Briony wasn't feeling well, and she had no patience for him.
"Fine. When you come back to pick him up, remember to bring the divorce papers."
With that, she scooped Irwin into her arms and walked straight back to her office.
Stewart lingered at the doorway for a moment, watching her go.
Then he quietly closed the studio door and left.
In the break room, Briony set Irwin down and let out a heavy sigh.
"Take your jacket off and get ready for bed."
Irwin, for once, was perfectly obedient. He shrugged off his jacket and handed it to her. "Mom, could you hang this up for me? Thank you."
He always had such sweet manners.
Briony smiled at him, took the jacket, and hung it on the coat rack.
They settled side by side on the bed.
Irwin wrapped his arms around Briony's, his voice muffled. "Mom, are you mad at me for going to see that woman?"
Briony blinked in surprise, then sighed softly. She hugged him close, her voice gentle. "She's the mother who gave birth to you. I know it's a lot to take in, but without her, there wouldn't be you. So don't call her 'that woman,' okay?"
anxiety
angry with him for meeting his
turned out
No matter who gave birth to me, you'll
felt her heart melt. She stroked his soft
And I promise you whenever
it!" Irwin yawned. "No lying, okay? If
laugh, her irritation slowly fading
and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "I'll never lie
breathing was her
break, so Irwin didn't
took on another restoration job-high pay, but a tight
studio with Briony. Whenever
of tagging along, Irwin was well-known and well-loved around the
her restoration work. She stepped out of the lab and headed for her office, texting her best friend, who worked at
you
[Yep! Why, what's
[Can you put my name down for an appointment? I'll be
What's going on? Are you...
days late,
late?! Girl, have you not
the test she'd bought
together with a sigh, typing: [I
guess- you pulled another all-nighter? Briony, I swear, if you ever drop dead in the restoration room, I
[Okay, okay. I
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!