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 quietly patted his

of Irwin's left in the apartment, so Briony fetched

in the too-big slippers, struggling to walk without

rarely wore and passed it to him.

slipped on the jacket and

out of the lounge to call

all she got was a

the sofa, her expression

the lounge and scrambled up onto the sofa beside her, sitting obediently, careful

turned her head, looking down

his head, nervously twisting the

were

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

her gaze away and dialed Stewart's

time, he

cut in. "Irwin's

you?" Stewart paused, concern in his voice.

him," Briony replied coolly, glancing at Irwin. "Bring clothes and

"Alright."

Stewart's answer, Briony hung