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.

clear eyes were now clouded, as if a heavy mist had settled over them, snuffing out their light and leaving only

always so in control, felt a wave of

[Why is Mommy crying?]

flushed and defiant, she suddenly saw him as he'd been at two years old, lisping his

yet so tenderly, wiped away

day she'd visited her mother in prison. 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 way

Irwin and pretending to read to him, her mind had drifted, lost in

He'd scrambled onto her lap, chubby arms wrapped around her neck, his soft cheek pressing against hers. “Don't

burst into tears again, unable

his best to wipe away her tears with his chubby little hands, mumbling over and over, "Don't cry, Mommy. Don't cry...

to him. The more anxious he got, the more his words tumbled out in a jumble-awkward,

Briony had been completely broken.

her mother went to prison, the Kensingtons hadn't let up. They ruined her reputation at university, schemed against her in every way they could. She'd endured it all, no matter how bitter or difficult-but knowing her mother was being bullied and beaten in prison was the one thing she couldn't

connections. All she could do was watch as

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

Mommy hurts, Irwin hurts