Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

"It's the same as what I said on the phone," Briony replied coolly.

She honestly had zero desire to see Stewart ever again.

But Stewart was insistent. "I've had a few drinks tonight, so I won't be going out. If you want to talk, come back to Southcreek Manor."

With that, the call ended.

Briony's grip on her phone tightened, her knuckles turning white.

Stella leaned over, concerned. "What did he say?"

"He wants me to go see him at Southcreek Manor. Face to face."

"What a jerk!" Stella scowled. "He's doing this on purpose, isn't he? You told him last time you'd never set foot in Southcreek Manor again, and now he's insisting you go there to negotiate? Could he be any more infuriating?"

Briony closed her eyes for a moment, trying to steady herself.

The last time she'd been at Southcreek Manor, things had ended badly.

Right in front of Stewart, she'd told Irwin she would never come back.

Of course Stewart remembered. He was the type to keep a grudge.

Now he was forcing her to swallow every word she'd ever said to take it all back, one painful syllable at a time.

That was Stewart's real game.

"Bryn, are you... going?"

hint of resolve flickered in Briony's eyes. "I've played the fool for five years already. One more time won't make

with you. He only said you had to go―he didn't say you had to

"Alright."

settled the bill and

very moment, the door of the next

figure-Irwin, hopping and skipping into

Stella froze in

into Irwin here was the last thing either of them

noticing the waiter pushing a cart

spotted Irwin and shouted, panicked,

Irwin was about to collide with the cart, Briony and Stella reached out at

Crash!

action figure tumbled to the

It took him a moment to process what had happened. Then, seeing his broken toy on the floor, his

action figure! Mom bought it for me! It's

from the private room,

had already let go

Irwin saw Lauren,

himself into her arms, sobbing. "Mom bought me that action figure and now it's

him, glancing at the scattered plastic on the