Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Cedric Clarke and Lorna stood at the foot of the bed, taking turns to gently coax him, patiently repeating words of comfort.

The man who had always been proud and domineering now lay there in silence, meeting the end with a strange, calm acceptance.

The early August sun was setting, its warm glow slanting through the window, washing everything in red. Yet, no matter how the light touched his face, it couldn't bring color to his deathly pale cheeks.

A car rumbled into the driveway.

Carl was back.

Moments later, hurried footsteps pounded down the hall.

The bedroom door burst open.

Carl, breathless and flushed, rushed in clutching the photo album Briony had given him.

"Mr. Wentworth! Mr. Wentworth!"

He was rarely so reckless.

Stewart, who'd been slipping toward unconsciousness, was startled awake. His heavy eyelids lifted, and he gazed at Carl standing by the bed.

A faint crease appeared between Stewart's brows, a subtle wince betraying the worsening pain.

Carl's eyes were rimmed red as he thrust the album forward. "Mr. Wentworth, please look at this!"

Cedric and Lorna exchanged a glance.

They both guessed what Carl had brought must be from Briony.

But Stewart barely reacted.

Carl pressed on. "Miss Briony asked me to bring this to you."

finally made Stewart

a moment before he

album. It's a collection of her photos from birth to her first birthday Ms. Kensington

effort, Stewart lifted a hand, reaching for the album, though

down and helped prop Stewart up, arranging two pillows behind

lines trailing from his thin wrist, Stewart slowly opened the

photo was of little Nina, newly born, the date scribbled in

with a breathing mask

He turned the pages-

Nina at one month;

Nina at two months;

Nina's first celebration;

birth to her first birthday, every change in his daughter was there, captured in those

of red crept into the corners

trembling fingers brushed gently over his

in the pictures,

promised her that night.

choed the words t

know you're busy, I can wait, but you can't forget, okay? I only be

take her

she would

after three years, she'd be

brief-miss them, and you never get

that promise, and now here he was, about to break it, about to

and relentless, as if someone were slicing

USB drive was tied

knew there must be videos inside-snippets

and shuddering, his

and Carl kept silent