Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

The police had received a tip from a concerned citizen: someone had found a cell phone and a pair of shoes by the river.

By the time Briony and Stella arrived at the station, the officers were already reviewing security footage.

A young female officer handed Briony a sealed evidence bag. Inside were the phone and the shoes, and she asked Briony to identify them.

The phone was Julia's.

And those shoes... Briony recognized them instantly. She'd just bought them for her mother on a shopping trip a few days ago.

Briony's heart dropped, but she shook her head in denial. "These aren't my mom's. They're not..."

"Bryn, please," Stella said, choking back tears as she tried to comfort her. "We have to cooperate with the police—maybe Julia just went somewhere else afterward, okay?"

Briony stared at the phone and shoes before her. After a moment, she closed her eyes in despair. "They're my mom's."

The officer offered a gentle reassurance. "Don't panic. We're reviewing all the security footage along the river. As soon as we know something, we'll tell you."

Briony nodded numbly, her hands clenched together so tightly they had turned white.

There were several cameras installed along the riverbank, and the police soon confirmed what they feared: Julia had jumped into the river at 7:19 p.m. the night before.

The footage showed Julia standing at the water's edge for over an hour before she finally climbed over the guardrail.

the camera couldn't

watched her mother on

in that endless hour, what had her mom been

one could give her an

While her mother had been wandering the riverbank, what had Briony been

up flights, planning an itinerary. She had meant to take her mom on a little

before she could even buy

the footage as Julia climbed over the railing,

The water rippled,

like that, Julia was

her chest as she slowly sank

The world was silent

threw her arms around

anything else. What comfort could

mother-the only person in the world

her gaze was vacant and

heard her

hated the cold. Star, I have to find her. I have to bring her