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.

shook her head. "I don't quite see it the

at his wife with a

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

won't be here to watch over Stella forever. She's always been a little scatterbrained, too blunt for her own good, always saying

his lips together, giving

Scarlett had a point.

choices, but, just as Scarlett said, their time with her

after herself-couldn't cook,

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 siblings have carved out their own paths. There's no messy family drama, and their name carries a lot of respect in

certainly done your research. What, if Stella says yes, are

mean it-I just want someone who can protect our daughter. That's

long moment, before wrapping his arms

just take it as it

the café downstairs from