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."

made Stewart

a moment before he rasped,

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

for the album, though his strength was

helped prop

IV lines trailing from his thin wrist, Stewart slowly opened the

Nina, newly born, the date scribbled in

incubator with a breathing mask over her face—just the

He turned the pages-

Nina at one month;

Nina at two months;

Nina's first celebration;

first birthday, every change

of red crept into the corners

trembling fingers brushed gently over his daughter's

pictures, and

promised her that night.

choed the words t

can wait, but you can't forget, okay? I only

take

said she would only

she'd be

child's early years are so heartbreakingly brief-miss them, and you never

here he was, about to break it, about to run away

stabbed through his chest, sharp and relentless, as if someone were slicing

small USB drive was tied to the

must be videos inside-snippets

breath raw and shuddering,

Carl kept