Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Upon hearing this, Briony's gaze instinctively drifted down to Irwin's bare feet sticking out from under his pants.

They were filthy-ten tiny toes, red and raw from the cold.

She couldn't help but frown.

The female officer, catching Briony's look of concern, let out a sigh and said gently, "I can see you have a good heart. Even if he's not your own child, he still calls you 'Mom.' Don't send him away, not after everything he's been through."

Briony pressed her lips together and stayed silent.

"It's not easy for any family," the officer added. "Whatever's happened between you and his father, just set it aside for now. Focus on the boy-he's had a rough time."

In the end, Irwin was allowed to stay.

Once the police left, Briony led him to the lounge bathroom and turned on the shower, adjusting it to a warm temperature.

"Wash your feet," she told him, holding out the showerhead.

Briony used to do things like this for him herself.

Irwin could sense she was still upset. Though he felt a little aggrieved, he didn't

dare complain. Whatever Briony told him to do, he obeyed without a word.

When his feet were clean, Briony handed him a towel. "Dry off."

and

apartment, so

in the too-big slippers, struggling to walk

pay him much attention. She grabbed a short jacket she rarely wore and passed it

on the jacket and

of the lounge

she got was a busy

on the sofa,

up onto the sofa beside her, sitting obediently, careful not

looking down at his small, anxious

the zipper of

emotions were

it wasn't fair to let adult grievances spill over onto a child. But every time she remembered

away and

time, he picked

a word, Briony cut in. "Irwin's here with

you?" Stewart paused, concern

Briony replied coolly, glancing

"Alright."

Stewart's answer,