Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Gwendolyn White could tell from Carney's expression that things with Stewart at the airport hadn't gone well.

In front of Briony, though, she acted as if nothing had happened.

Once they were back home, Gwendolyn asked the housekeeper to make Briony a bowl of noodles and ladled out some nourishing chicken broth for her to have first.

While Briony sipped the soup in the kitchen, Gwendolyn quietly pulled Carney into the bedroom.

"You talked to Stewart at the airport?"

Carney let out a bitter laugh. "The man's a bully with too much power and far too little shame."

Gwendolyn frowned. "He's still refusing to sign the divorce papers?"

He sighed heavily. "Stewart's a control freak. I told him plainly we want to make Bryn our goddaughter. I even spoke to him as a family elder, but he just put on that fake smile and brushed me off."

"I saw this coming a long time ago," Gwendolyn said with a weary sigh. "That's why I suggested the Chadwicks get in touch with Bryn. Thank goodness she's strong enough to carve out her own path."

Carney looked surprised. "So you'd already planned a backup for her?"

"What else did you expect?" Gwendolyn shot him a look. "You're a man yourself— after all these years, do you still not know your own kind's weaknesses?"

Carney protested, "Come on, don't lump me in with the rest. I'm one of the good ones everyone says so!"

She smacked his arm with a laugh. "Always so glib! Anyway, keep an eye on Stewart these next few days. Don't let him bother Bryn again. She deserves some peace to finish her work."

"Aye aye, ma'am!" Carney gave a mock salute.

***

The next day, on set.

for The Antiquarian Society,

into the outfit the production team provided: a cream-colored dress that flowed to her ankles. Her long dark hair was swept up

applied a touch

Briony stepped out from behind the screen, everyone

gaze flickered

kept her style understated-nothing like the elegance she wore today. For the first time, he saw her fully transformed, as if she'd stepped straight out of a classical painting: slender, poised, with a smile that lit up her eyes and lent

swallowed, his gaze

was no small feat, especially when

required. The camera demanded

time in front of the lens, but she exceeded everyone's

noon, she'd wrapped her individual scenes ahead

If she entered show business, she'd be a sensation!

and crew all nodded

back in the

her home for lunch and would bring her back in the

worried about her pregnancy, asked

director was more than happy to

finished all her scenes for the

went to fetch the car, Briony changed out of her costume and back into her own

to say goodbye to

Thornton looked puzzled. “Is there bad blood between

just smiled faintly. "She's still mad

raised

***

days, Gwendolyn accompanied Briony to the set every day— partly to look after her, partly to make sure Stewart didn't try to

but thankfully, kept his

Stella whenever possible-calls were nearly impossible, with the poor signal in the mountains,