Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

"In Westenmar, Stewart told you to take little Mario and go ahead while he stayed behind to negotiate with Garry Ferguson." Lorna paused for a moment, then continued, "Garry has always blamed Stewart for Randolph Driscoll's death. He made Stewart cut off his own finger as penance. Stewart didn't hesitate he just took the knife and sliced off his pinkie. Then Garry, right in front of him, tossed the severed finger to his mastiff."

Briony's brow furrowed slightly.

No wonder there was a time he always wore black gloves.

Lorna went on, "When the wound healed, he had a prosthetic finger made. He wears it every time he goes out; if you don't look closely, you'd never notice. I'm telling you all this because I want you to understand Stewart really loves those two kids."

"I can see that." Briony didn't deny Stewart's devotion. "There aren't many fathers in the world who'd leave their children so much."

Lorna groaned. "Seriously, woman, can you stop being so heartless? I'm talking about feelings and you're calculating dollar signs!"

Briony glanced at the clock and sighed, exasperated. "Can you just get to the point?"

"Alright, alright, you're impossible!" Lorna frowned, letting out a long breath. "You always seem so mild, as if you couldn't hurt a fly, but when you make up your mind, you're colder than anyone."

her lips

point, she no longer felt the need

knew that even if she laid everything out,

here, she had to at

some rough things as a kid. Later, he joined the peacekeeping forces. But that mission... what he went through wasn't just the usual horrors of war. Those lunatics-they tortured and killed Randolph right in front of him. Stewart suffered a massive psychological blow. He developed severe PTSD and couldn't return to the battlefield.

Here, Lorna hesitated.

took a turn

him. His spleen was removed, and his immune system never fully recovered. What

was something she'd never

she told, he'd haunt

got a new treatment that's shown some promise, but Stewart's lost all will