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.

beside her, and before she knew it, she too had fallen

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

drenched in sweat, tears streaking her face, her chest aching

Boom! Boom! Boom-

in a riot of fireworks, bursting in brilliant color. The

was fast asleep. Carefully, Briony slipped out from under the covers

was New Year's. She needed to find

...

city was alive with noise and celebration. Families and friends flocked together in joyful crowds to ring in the new

dress and slippers, Briony wove unsteadily through the

drifted across the river-a Northborough tradition to welcome the new year

glowing lanterns until

she'd held for three days finally broke; tears rushed down her cheeks

Year's. Why aren't

filled the night, but Briony gripped the railing,

voice, ragged and desperate, was

there would never

grief tore through her.

she no

behind, voices shouted fresh wishes into