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."

his stern gaze,

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

voice trembled, tears brimming in her eyes. "You want to put the wedding off

now, Irwin's well-being is the only thing that matters." Stewart's dark eyes were sharp, appraising. "Rosita, Irwin is your son. Don't you want what's best for

Rosita froze.

whispered, her gaze dropping. "But I lost my memory... There's so much I can't remember.

as he held

Briony left. She was the one who raised him. In his mind, when Briony left, he lost his mother.

protested, looking up

here now, aren't I? I want to make up for those missing

"Irwin's only five."

just a child. He can't be expected to understand all this. Since Briony left, he's been

stared at him,

no idea. When Briony was

"Whatever Briony could do, I can do too!" Stewart's

She froze, hurt.

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

nails into her

always known how much Irwin meant

she'd believed Irwin

Irwin above all else-even above her, his own child's mother-she finally understood: in Stewart's