Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

"I hate you!"

Irwin hurled the rest of his bedtime stories to the floor and stomped on them, his voice trembling with fury. "You're a liar! You don't want me, well, I don't want you either! I don't want any of this!"

"Irwin!"

Stewart grabbed Irwin's arm, his handsome face darkening with anger. "Say one more word like that and you'll be sorry!"

Irwin struggled with all his might, but he was no match for his father's strength.

Blinded by rage, Irwin couldn't see the storm brewing in his father's eyes. All he wanted was to let out every ounce of hurt and frustration bottled up inside him—

"I just hate her!" Irwin jutted out his chin, his tear-stained eyes glaring stubbornly at Stewart. "You said it yourself-she's not really my mom, right? So if she isn't my mom, why should I have to like her? I hate her! I hate that she lied to me!"

Stewart froze.

That one sentence-"You said she's not really my mom!"-hit him like a slap in the face.

He let go of Irwin and turned to look at Briony.

Briony stood rooted to the spot, silent and pale as a ghost.

drained of all color. Her usually bright, clear eyes were now clouded, as if a heavy mist had settled over them, snuffing out their light and leaving

felt a

[Why is Mommy crying?]

at Irwin, who was now flushed and defiant, she suddenly saw him as he'd been at two

yet so tenderly, wiped away

She'd seen the bruises on her mother's face and realized, for the first time, just how much her mother was suffering behind bars.

cried the whole

pretending to

He'd scrambled onto her lap, chubby arms wrapped around her neck, his soft cheek

made Briony's nose sting. She'd burst into tears again, unable to help

chubby little hands, mumbling over and over, "Don't cry, Mommy. Don't cry... Irwin's here, Irwin will stay

to talk, his words still limited, so he repeated the comforting things she usually said to him. The more anxious he got, the more his words tumbled out in a jumble-awkward, but achingly

Briony had been completely broken. She'd clung to Irwin, sobbing

schemed against her in every way they could. She'd endured it all, no matter how bitter

connections. All she could do was

clutched her chest and said it hurt, little Irwin started crying too, blowing on her with his tiny

Mommy hurts,