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.

don't quite see it the way you

at his wife with a hint

money, whatever it took-when Stella got hurt. If it weren't for him, she might

old, Ableson. 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 married. But if she really doesn't, who'll look after her

lips together,

Scarlett had a point.

their daughter's choices, but, just as Scarlett said,

cook, couldn't keep a house to save

through his, her tone thoughtful. "If it's Dr. Clarke, I think he'd truly care for Stella. And I've done my homework-the Clarkes may be an old-money family, but they have a solid reputation. Cedric has two older brothers: the eldest is set to inherit, the second went into show business, and all three

Stella says yes, are you ready to hand her over to Dr.

Ableson. After everything that's happened, I mean it-I just want someone who can

silent for a long moment, before

just take it

downstairs from the hospital, Cedric Clarke sat across