Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Even though this wasn't the first time Ableson had seen his daughter reach for Cedric Clarke's hand, he still found it hard to watch.

The old man closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

Scarlett glanced at her husband, then turned to Cedric with a warm smile. "Dr. Clarke, Ableson and I are going to pick up a few things. Would you mind staying with Stella for a bit?"

Cedric nodded. "Of course."

With that, Scarlett gently pulled Ableson out of the hospital room.

The couple wandered into the small park tucked behind the hospital wing.

Scarlett broke the silence. "So, how did your chat with Dr. Clarke go?"

"Dr. Clarke's a good man. He's level-headed." Ableson took off his reading glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "But when a man's around the woman he likes, all that self-control can go out the window."

He spoke from experience-he'd been young and impulsive once, too. Some things, he knew, simply couldn't be restrained by good intentions alone.

quite see it the way you

frowned, glancing at his wife with a

he could-time, money, whatever it took-when Stella got hurt. If it weren't for him, she might not have made

We won't be here to watch over Stella forever. She's always been a little scatterbrained, too blunt for her own good, always saying she'll never get

together, giving

Scarlett had a point.

but, just as Scarlett said,

after herself-couldn't cook,

a solid reputation. Cedric has two older brothers: the eldest is set to inherit, the second went into show business, and all

research. What, if Stella says yes, are you ready to hand her over to

"I'm just scared, Ableson. After everything that's happened, I mean it-I just

frowned, silent for a long moment, before wrapping his arms

just take it

the café downstairs from