Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Briony ignored her and focused on her own meal, barely glancing up.

That New Year's Eve dinner was shrouded in an uneasy, suffocating silence.

Stella ate in tears, each bite swallowed with more saltwater than food.

Briony, on the other hand, managed to eat quite a bit.

But as she cleared the table, she suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth and bolted for the bathroom, where she threw up everything she'd eaten.

Stella panicked, but Briony just offered a faint smile and murmured that she was simply tired.

It was barely nine o'clock-hours still to go before midnight.

Stella gently supported Briony, helping her to bed.

In the past three days, Briony had barely slept a wink.

And if Briony was awake, Stella couldn't rest either.

Given the state Briony was in, Stella refused to leave her side. She'd called their parents earlier to explain, and they understood, reminding her to take good care of Briony.

Once Briony lay down, exhaustion overtook her and she drifted off almost instantly.

and before she knew it, she too

impossible to say how long had passed when Briony, half-dreaming, heard someone calling her

tears streaking her face,

Boom! Boom! Boom-

the night sky exploded in a riot of fireworks, bursting in brilliant color. The new year had

over at Stella, who was fast asleep. Carefully, Briony slipped out from under the covers and tiptoed out the

She needed to find her

...

Families and friends flocked together in

dress and slippers, Briony wove

tradition to

glowing lanterns until her vision blurred with tears.

dam she'd held for

Why aren't you coming home...

and cheers filled the night, but Briony gripped the

ragged and desperate, was

there would never

her.

now, she no longer had a

behind, voices shouted fresh wishes into