Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Briony was the first to look away, turning to the older woman and saying, "You've got it wrong-he's not my husband."

"Oh?" The woman blinked in surprise, caught off guard for the first time in her years of sales pitches. After a long pause, she managed, "Oh... I see."

Briony didn't dwell on the awkward exchange. She grabbed a neatly packaged tray of ribs from the meat counter and headed toward the produce section. Stewart watched her go, his eyes cool and unreadable.

...

By the time they returned to Southcreek Manor, it was already noon.

Briony went straight to the kitchen to start lunch.

Irwin was in the living room, tinkering with his new toys.

No sooner had Briony tied on her apron than the glass kitchen door slid open.

She turned and saw Stewart step inside.

"Did you need something?" she asked.

He glanced at the ingredients on the counter, his voice calm. "Do you want a hand?"

"I'm fine," Briony replied without looking up, already busy at the sink.

Stewart stood and watched her for a moment before quietly leaving. She turned on the tap and pulled out the vegetables to wash them.

It wasn't long before Stewart returned.

Wear these," he

plastic gloves he held out. Her

on your hand is still healing. It'd be

glanced at the faint pink patch of new skin on

her tone flat.

Stewart left

but since he was

for

was demanding, but after five years, she moved around the

later, she brought out five dishes and a hearty soup to

is ready. Go wash your hands," she

wash up, then hurried to

chicken and yam soup for him. "It's hot, so

he looked at the spread. He grinned, "Thanks, Mom! You

a faint smile. "Dig

out a chair

took off her apron, walked it back to the kitchen, and paused.

to Irwin and setting one bowl in front of him,

them, Stewart

vegetables, then quietly focused on her own meal. Stewart

time, one of those bowls of rice would have been for

eat with single-minded