Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Rosita's tears slipped down her cheeks as she tilted her chin up, gazing at Quentin with a plaintive, fragile look. "You're the only one who can help me now," she pleaded.

Quentin's Adam's apple bobbed as he locked his deep brown eyes on Rosita's tear-reddened ones. "What do you want me to do?"

"Briony's taken Stewart from me... and now she's after my son, too..."

Rosita's voice was meek, almost innocent, but her words dripped with venom.

"I know I can't outmaneuver her, but I can't just let it go. She stole the most important people in my life-so I want her to feel my pain. I want everyone she cares about to leave her, one by one. I want her to know what it feels like to be utterly alone."

Quentin frowned. "The only people she truly relies on now are Stella and James. James has government connections and an influential family-you can't touch him."

He paused, then added, "Stella's been spending time with Cedric Clarke lately. If I go after her, Cedric will do whatever it takes to protect her. I don't think I could get past him."

"I know, I know I'm asking a lot..." Rosita shifted, climbing onto the hospital bed on her knees. Her delicate body inched closer, her voice trembling. "But... what if it looked like an accident?"

"What are you saying?"

"I heard there's a medical outreach trip to the mountains next month-Stella's on the team, isn't she?"

"That's meant to boost the hospital's reputation. If something happened to a staff member during the trip, it'd be a disaster for us. And Cedric Clarke is going to be there too."

"But it's the rainy season, the terrain up there is dangerous. If there's a storm and someone gets hurt... well, wouldn't that just be an unfortunate accident?"

Rosita leaned in, her tearful eyes wide with helplessness. "You've always said you wanted to see me happy, haven't you?"

As she spoke, her breath danced across Quentin's neck. He clenched his jaw, took a step back, fighting to keep control. "Rosita, you don't have to do this. I do want you to be happy, but... I don't have feelings for you like that."

Rosita's lips curled into a smile. She didn't press her body fully against his, but the space between them was barely more than a breath.

glinting slyly like a fox who knew exactly how to ensnare its prey. "But you've always looked out for

Quentin's chest, slipping lower to the waistband

Quentin's breathing grew ragged.

Click-

belt buckle came

eyes closing

of disgust passing

...

hour later, the hospital room door

him. He glanced around the hallway, face unreadable-though a shadow of what just

moment, he walked

tap and scrubbed her hands over

of water echoed in

In the mirror, her lips curved into

Briony finally finished restoring Mrs. Chadwick's wedding

to deliver it, Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick were overwhelmed to see

so young, yet you have the heart and skill of a true craftswoman. That's

smiled gently at the kindly woman. "You flatter me, Mrs.

Briony only accepted payment for

embarrassed to pay so little, but Briony insisted— she wouldn't

paying more would only cheapen the true value of her work. Instead, he handed Briony a business card embossed in gold- a mark

all, just call this number. Whatever you ask, I'll do it-no questions

received

both hands, nodding earnestly. "Thank

clearly pleased. "Good. Now that you've accepted it, my wife and