Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Lauren was instantly wracked with guilt.

That morning, Irwin had shattered a glass. Lauren had been on the phone with Helga at the time. She'd heard the sound of breaking glass, but hadn't thought much of it—until Irwin's piercing cries sent her running, heart pounding, as she fumbled to end the call.

By then, it was too late. Irwin had already cut himself.

A deep, long gash ran across his palm, blood welling up and trickling down his small hand.

The commotion quickly brought Stewart to the scene.

"Stewart, I'm so sorry. It was my fault-I wasn't watching Irwin. I let him get hurt." Lauren's face was flushed with remorse, her voice trembling dangerously close to tears.

Seeing this, Rosita hurried to add, "Mom was just caught up in her phone call. She never wanted Irwin to get hurt. It's my fault too—if I hadn't been lying down, feeling sick, maybe I could've kept an eye on him."

Stewart didn't respond to Rosita's attempt at comfort.

In the past, if he'd seen Rosita so upset and self-blaming, he would have tried to reassure her. But today, his disappointment over Irwin's injury overshadowed even the smallest hint of kindness.

He looked right at Rosita, his gaze icy and unreadable. "The medicine Quentin found for you worked well. You seem healthy now."

Rosita blinked in surprise.

"The only reason we rushed the wedding was because you were so ill-we wanted you to have no regrets. But now you're better. The wedding can wait."

Rosita stared at him, incredulous. "But... the engagement's already been announced "

"We'll handle it with PR."

tone brooked no argument. Rosita shrank beneath his stern gaze, barely managing to ask, "Then... how long will we postpone

there's no need to rush into a wedding." His words were

in her

matters." Stewart's dark eyes were sharp, appraising. "Rosita, Irwin is your son. Don't you want what's

Rosita froze.

course I do," she whispered, her gaze dropping. "But I lost my memory... There's so much I can't remember. I just don't understand what does postponing the wedding have to do with

as he held her

mind,

mother,” Rosita protested, looking up at him as tears spilled down

aren't I? I want to make up for those missing five years. Just because I wasn't there at

"Irwin's only five."

"He's just a child. He can't be expected to understand all this. Since

at

no idea. When Briony was here, Irwin was happy, well-adjusted he

can do too!" Stewart's lips curled into a mirthless

She froze, hurt.

paused, then continued, "For me, what matters most is that Irwin is

her nails into her

much

she'd believed Irwin was her

seeing how Stewart put Irwin above all else-even above her, his own child's mother-she finally